


Fate of the Forsaken

by rolystatz



Category: Merlin (TV), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2019-08-09 14:56:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16452056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rolystatz/pseuds/rolystatz
Summary: Hello, lovely shippers and fic readers! Welcome to my WIP called Fate of the Forsaken!This story is about how the Evil Queen Regina came to curse some residents of the Enchanted Forest to America, and how her world changes after her adopted son Henry discovers the truth about her Town of Storybrooke. He disappears, only to return with his birth mother, Emma Swan. Emma and Regina share a brief romantic encounter, before Regina decides to close herself up. From there it's a race against time as Emma decides to start roots in Storybrooke, causing Regina's cruel world and story lines within the town to break. Emma must figure out the truth in order to break the curse completely. But doing so will reveal a darker plot designed by another to rip them of their happiness. Forever.As this is a WIP, so far this is mainly a Regina centric fic, with swanqueen coming in later and there will be other ships and story lines in here, as well. I decided that I'll be doing an OUAT/Merlin crossover because I like Merlin more than the Camelot story line that's canon on Once.





	1. Prologue: Midnight Special at the Mausoleum

“Fuck,” Regina Mills huffs desperately as she slams the empty bottle down into her last backup chest.  
The struggle to keep her son Henry under the same spell since he was a toddler was one she thought she had under control. But time had slipped through her fingers like the dust of the hearts of her enemies. He’s not even eleven years old and Regina is already bled dry of all of her magical ingredients she had stowed away in the effects of the curse she wrought on her and her enemy’s kingdoms. Tonight is the thirtieth night of the month, the night where all story lines in place are reset to the beginning. Panic rises in her gut as she realizes the weight of this disaster and tries to swallow it with a certain dignity fit for royalty. It is, after all, her greatest quality. Steering her mind from allowing tears, a sense of relief and acceptance washes through her. Because of her, thousands of lives had been destroyed and she was reckless to involve an outsider in a son within her intricately designed curse.  
Exhaling a shaky breath, she closes the lid of the chest of drained potion bottles. Not that it wasn’t worth it, she thinks to herself as she mulls over her situation. Henry is the light of my life.  
Suddenly the temperature under her father’s mausoleum drops and so she wraps her great minx coat around her, deciding to head back to her marvelous home on Mifflin Street. Regina makes to ascend the stairs that lead to her secret vault, clicking her tongue in defeat before doing so. Before exiting the modest mausoleum built for Henry Mills, she pushes his heavy, stone coffin over to re-conceal the stairway. Sadness floods her heart before having time to stave it off and a tear falls from her eye, splashing noisily on the dusty grave.  
“Oh, Daddy,” she suddenly cries, head bent over the cold stone. “What am I going to do?”  
Guilt is not a feeling Regina has often contended with, and to put it plainly, she is not a fan of having to do so now. It irks her that she’s feeling so wretchedly over the consequences of her actions, and laments that this is what her arch-nemesis Snow White would have wanted.  
Snow White.  
This is all because of her.  
Regina’s step-daughter, Snow White, had been entrusted with a secret she needed kept from her mother, Cora. Though, being too transparent for her own good, Snow told Cora about Regina’s secret relationship with the stable boy, Daniel, while she was supposed to be engaged to King Leopold, Snow’s father. As a result of this, Cora murdered Daniel in front of her in order to force her to marry the King. Regina can still hear Daniel crying out for her as Cora crushed his heart into ash. Though, another, more disturbing memory causes Regina to shiver under the fashionable, black tuxedo she wears beneath her fur coat. And that is the memory of discovering the final ingredient to be able to cast the Dark Curse on the lives of so many in the Enchanted Forest: The heart of her father.  
From the breast pocket of her tuxedo jacket, she extracts a crushed pack of cigarettes and a pure silver lighter. She sighs, bringing one to her lips and leans in the doorway of the mausoleum with her back to the grave as she sparks up. Looking out into the night, she daintily wipes the tears from her cheeks before replacing the lighter where it came from. The smoke hits her lungs, creating a certain calming effect that she’s come to lean on in her time in America. For twenty-eight years she’s lived the same month in the same place with the same people and the same events repeating over and over again. Today, though, the uncertainty of tomorrow causes that calming effect to evaporate as quickly as it had come.


	2. Make Your Own Fate With Handy Dandy: Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, reader! Just a quick note to please bear with me through this chapter as I do a lot of recapping, but it’s all for good cause & hopefully it’s entertaining anyway lmao! It’s helpful for to me to get a grasp on where this story stands with canon aspects of the show since it’s been years since I’ve seen it all the way through. Thank you for your patience!! Next update coming soon :)

On October 23rd, 1983, a huge stretch of forests and wetlands lay, undisturbed, in the northern part of the state of Maine. For the animals and rest of the wildlife there, they went about their day in a typical animal way: Hunting, hiding, gathering, searching. Though, in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a bustling city. All with the assistance of an evil enchantress, of course, as she believed it to be her right to control the fate of others. And she took full advantage of the power that had been forced on her by her mother and King Leopold. More than a few misfortunes experienced by this woman lead her and everyone she knows to this destination. But it didn’t all start with her.  
It began 300 years prior, with a coward, his son, and a broken promise.  
Shortly after the birth of his son, Rumplestiltskin became known throughout his home village in the Enchanted Forest as being a deserter of the Ogre Wars. He had purposely shattered his leg to avoid the front lines of war. As a result of this, his wife left him to care for their newborn child alone. When his son, Baelfire, reached the age of fourteen, Rumplestiltskin was left with little choice except to condemn his own soul with Darkness in order to save him from being drafted into the same army he had evaded years before. In his first violent act, Rumplestiltskin murdered the Dark One, Zoso, and tethered the Darkness to himself and the Dagger that could control him. Zoso was not the first Dark One, nor would Rumplestiltskin be the last.  
Gaining magical power of the Dark One cursed Rumple’s heart. He no longer saw the value of living without being able to hold the power of intimidation above others. This is a quality in his dad that Bae detested. He begged his father to give up his power, and negotiated with him a way that they could be together again like they had been before the curse. Rumple promised Bae that they would escape the Enchanted Forest together to a Land Without Magic: America. There was only one way out, and that was through a portal cast by a rare, magic bean- The only one that existed in the Enchanted Forest. As agreed Baelfire cast the bean, creating a portal to America. He held onto Rumple, begging him to follow through but he lost his nerve, and Rumple let his son fall through the portal without him. It closed, and Rumplestiltskin knew he had to do whatever it would take to get back to him.  
Enter 273 years later: Regina Mills. Being the daughter of a powerful sorceress named Cora, Regina had no initial interest in magic. She saw the way it corrupted her mother and she was forced to face the dangers of that magic on a daily basis. Cora used magic to control and manipulate her husband and daughter. Having no mercy, she was hell-bent on her mission to make Regina a queen, purposely giving her a name with the meaning as such. This lead to the unfortunate incident of Regina and Snow White meeting. Snow was the young princess of the land, gripping tightly on a horse that had been spooked and was galloping out of control. Having had much practice on horses with lessons from her Stable Boy, Regina chased after her in order to rescue her. She was successful.  
This one, kind action would damn her life forever, for you see, Snow’s father was a widower. For years he had been saddened by the lack of a mother figure in his daughter’s life. He saw fit to propose to Regina for her bravery, though she was just six years older than his twelve year old daughter. Regina didn’t want to accept, as her heart already belonged to another, the Stable Boy, but Cora took it upon herself to accept the proposal for her. This vibrant young woman’s demeanor shifted to that of bitterness and hatred once her beloved Daniel was murdered before her. She loathed her mother, and Snow White, for what they had done, and vowed to destroy their happiness. For this, she turned to Rumplestiltskin, the immortal Dark One, for help.  
This is something that Rumplestilskin had long foreseen, as with the Darkness he was able to gain the power of Foresight from a mystical seer that he encountered before ending the Ogre Wars. With this ability to envision prophecy, he pieced together the puzzle of time enough in order to devise his evil scheme to return to his son in America. He knew that Regina would come to him for help, and since he had taught Cora everything she knew about magic, he was confident that Regina would be a natural. He had already tried and failed to teach Regina’s long-lost-sister Zelena to be able to cast his Dark Curse, but she was lost in her envy of the life Cora gave to her sister. Zelena, after all, had been abandoned on the side of the road by Cora and was whisked away to the Land of Oz via cyclone before she could even walk or talk. But, Rumplestiltskin had been correct.  
With the right (or, more appropriately, ill-conceived) push, Regina’s soul was corrupted with a darkness of her own and she became desperate enough to destroy Snow White’s happiness in any way possible. She had begun her descent into darkness by framing the Genie of Agrabah for the murder of her husband, King Leopold, and from there conspired to turn her Kingdom against their perfect Princess Snow. For four years Snow was on the run from Queen Regina. Soon she was to become known as the Evil Queen, as her desire to capture Snow burdened not only her Kingdom, but the neighboring Kingdom ruled by King George. The two kingdoms had been established for centuries as allies. That, however, was compromised as soon as King George’s adopted son, David, fell for Snow White.  
Not that David stood much of a chance, his romance with Snow has always been destined in the stars, for they are a couple bound by True Love. And since True Love is the most powerful magic of all, they couldn’t fight it even when they wanted to. Though they faced many tough times on the run from the Evil Queen’s vengeance, Rumplestiltskin always saw to it that they ended up Happily Ever After. He knew that the product of their love would be the key to breaking the Dark Curse. Their daughter, Emma, was born just before the curse swallowed Regina and Robert’s Kingdoms. In order to save her and have hope of escaping the curse in the future, Snow and David sent her through a magical wardrobe to America. There she would be free to grow up instead of remaining an infant stuck in time for all eternity.  
Regina had been made aware of the importance of the baby, and was dismayed when she discovered that she escaped the curse. After arriving in Storybrooke, however, her uneasiness slowly dissipated as she reveled in the misery that her curse brought those around her. She was pleased to know her strenuous efforts had been a success. Because even though Rumplestiltskin had laid down the groundwork for the Dark Curse, she still had to construct and design every single millisecond and millimeter of it. For eighteen years she spent her days contentedly watching her assigned story lines unfold on her unsuspecting citizens. Life as Mayor of Storybrooke proved simple, enough. Perhaps even too simple as eventually she found herself to be excruciatingly lonely, regardless of the fact she had a few actual friends she had cursed to remain as such to her. At this time, she approached Mr. Gold, formerly known as Rumplestilskin, for assistance in finding a child for her.  
He acquired a son for her without question.  
When she ventured out of Storybrooke to retrieve him from an adoption agency, she received a few odd glances at her outdated attire, but the process went relatively smoothly. Before she knew it, she was travelling back home with her little bundle of joy in the back seat. It wasn’t until he started becoming more aware of his surroundings that she decided it would be best to keep him under a spell so that he wouldn’t question the events unfolding around them. She mastered the mixture and on every eve before the resetting of the curse, she would have him drink the potion in his hot chocolate where he would then wake up with no memories of the traumas endured by those in the town.  
To this day, Regina feels optimistic for the future because her son brings her something she thought she’d never feel again- love and acceptance.


	3. Gone Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for your patience! I know this has been a long time coming so I appreciate you keepin' up!  
> I'm jumpin' into the deep stuff with this one and there won't be mercy for a while so just fair warning!
> 
> Also P.S. I'm sorry not sorry for any and all Galavant references from this point forward! 0:)

Storybrooke: Dark Curse Day 10,203

Mary Margaret Blanchard makes her way down the Main Street in Storybrooke, Maine just as the sun begins to set. A long sigh escapes her lips as she reviews the events of her insane day at school. Being a new teacher at the age of twenty-two, she has yet to master the art of ruling her classroom. And as it’s only a month into the school year she wonders how she’ll be able to manage for the rest of it if things remain this way. She looks up toward the approaching clock tower and ponders its stillness as she always has on her way to her part-time shift at the library with Lacey, a fellow teacher. Regardless of this common perplexity, a puzzled scrunch still muscles its way onto her otherwise crease-less brow. She watches it cautiously, half expecting it to start moving by sheer will, until it disappears from sight above her.  
She strains to open the heavy library door alone, so Lacey rushes over from the front desk to help her enter.  
“Seriously, every time with this, I’m sorry,” Mary Margaret says sheepishly to her friend as they struggle together.  
“It’s no problem,” Lacey replies with effort in her signature and particularly peculiar accent. “So how was your day?” she asks as they let the heavy door slam shut behind them.  
“It was awful, to be honest. The kids just have no respect and one even threw up on me today. I had to stop home and change before coming here,” she points to her puke-orange colored sweatshirt that she usually only wears to sleep in, and doesn’t miss Lacey stifling a giggle. “There’s only one kid in the whole class who I actually like, even though his mother can be a bit of a nightmare to deal with,” she concludes, giving Lacey a deadpan look.  
They both know she’s referring to Henry Mills, the Mayor’s adopted son.  
“I can sympathize with you, there. I feel like gaining the respect of these children is way harder than it ought to be. Whatever happened to ‘respect your elders’?”  
“Right?!” Mary Margaret all but screeches as the stress from the day threatens to bubble over.  
Lacey laughs humorlessly, feeding off of Mary Margaret’s sullen vibe.  
“Hmm, maybe there are some books here that would be able to help us figure out how to gain these kids’ favors,” Lacey offers after a brief moment.  
“Mm-mm,” Mary Margaret shakes her head, “I scoured this place for anything teaching related during college and nothing was able to help me then.”  
“Perhaps you missed something that’s not on the shelves?”  
“Well, you might be right, actually! I could head to the back for once and see what’s stashed back there,” she gives a light laugh.  
“Go for it, I’ll be here,” Lacey smiles.  
“‘Kay,” Mary Margaret replies as Lacey watches her leave the reception area of the public library on her search for helpful hints.  
She makes her way past the vast amounts of ceiling-high bookshelves until she reaches the storage room. She enters it, spotting a decrepit office chair piled high with books and works to clear it. With this room having been all but abandoned for as long as Mary Margaret can remember, more than a bit of dust has accumulated in the closed-off space. In order to make her search more comfortable, she pounds on the nearest window to loosen it and opens it. A fresh yet cool breeze blows in, disrupting the still dust and clearing some out of the way. Mary Margaret breathes in deeply, smiles, and begins her hunt. Motivation for improving her classroom drives it to continue for nearly an hour.  
After this time, she stretches and wonders what she and Lacey will order for dinner from Granny’s down the street. She decides to find out at this thought, and leaves to return to reception.  
“Lacey, I’m getting a lil’ hungry, wha-” Mary Margaret announces before coming to fully view the front desk. Abruptly, she stops all movement when she finds her friend missing from her post. “...Lacey?”  
Her heart begins to race as she tries to rationalize where her friend might have gone to. She rushes to the phone and dials the number for Granny’s. The line rings and soon connects to the receiver.  
“Hello, thanks for calling Granny’s, this is Ruby,” her friend drawls on the other line.  
“Ruby, hey!”  
“Hey, Mary Margaret, what’s up?”  
“Did Lacey call you?” she asks fervently.  
“No? Why?”  
“So, she’s not there, either?”  
“No, why, what’s going on?” Ruby says in alarmed tone that’s uncommon for her.  
“She’s not here! A-and her shift isn’t up for another hour,” Mary Margaret stammers.  
“You sure she didn’t go to the store or something?” she responds in an attempt to sooth her friend’s panic.  
“No, Ruby, this door is nearly impossible to open alone. I need to call Sheriff Graham,” she says, beginning to cry.  
“Okay, wait outside, I’ll be right there” Ruby says.  
“Okay,” Mary Margaret whimpers, then shakily dials 911.  
As the line rings, her mind races with raking her memory for details of something, a noise she heard or thing she saw, anything that would give a hint as to where Lacey went to.  
“911, what is your emergency?” the man on the other line answers in his own strange accent.  
“Graham, I need you at the library. Lacey is missing,” she breathes desperately.  
“You’re sure? How long has she been gone?”  
“I don’t know, could be up to an hour, I don’t know. I was in the back,” she sobs.  
How many times had she been in the back her entire life? Mary Margaret couldn’t recall a single time ever having gone in that room. This fact causes heaves of pain to shoot through her chest and she doubles over.  
“Alright, I’m on my way,” Graham says, and hangs up.  
Mary Margaret drops the phone, staggering away from the desk she had seen one of her closest, and only, friends behind not an hour ago. Nausea twists her stomach into knots as she instinctively approaches the door with her back towards it. On resting upon it, she slides down, crying in despair over the disappearance of her friend. It’s then she hears the siren of the only officer in town, and soon the massive door behind her opens. Graham catches her as she leans into him for comfort. Ruby rushes up to them and Graham looks at her grimly.  
“Mary Margaret!” Ruby exclaims.  
This snaps her out of her anxiety a bit as she takes a deep breath, bracing to stand. She does so, and falls into Ruby’s arms.  
“I’m so happy to see you’re alright,” Ruby says softly.  
“You, too,” Mary Margaret says hoarsely and pulls away, giving her friend a sad smile.  
“Time is of the essence, Mary Margaret, I need to know where you saw her last, and when,” Graham investigates.  
“It was just for a few minutes inside here," she starts slowly, "At the beginning of our shift. She helped me in and then we got to talking about school, so I went to the back to check for books on teaching. When I came back, she was just- gone. I thought she might’ve left to get dinner, but-” she stops, gesturing at Ruby.  
“So she hasn’t called you all night?” Graham asks her.  
“No, I was expecting their call as always but didn’t hear anything until Margy just called me,” Ruby says.  
In her shaken state, she refers to her friend in an old term of endearment she’d used when they were in school. The Sheriff of Storybrooke looks suspiciously at the massive door before them and wonders how it could possibly be up to code. He doubts Lacey would have tried to leave voluntarily, so he takes a deep breath.  
“Alright, what was she wearing?” he says.  
“A white sweater, and, uh- peach colored wide-legged pants, with a matching blazer,” Mary Margaret recalls.  
“Do you have any other information for me that would be helpful in my investigation?”  
“She said she’d be right here. I don’t understand… I don’t understand why she isn’t.”  
Ruby pulls her in again as they stand together is disbelief.  
“As Sheriff, it is my duty to protect the citizens of this city. I will find her,” Graham avows.


	4. A Flick of the Wrist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who have read my completed SQ fic ‘Ravishing Evil’ you may notice some parallels between this story’s version of the Evil Queen and the Dark Swan in RE. I love that pairing more than words can express so the parallels were too much to resist! Also P.S. I am currently working on a sequel for Ravishing Evil so keep your eyes out for that, as well, if you’re interested/have the time. Thanks again for your patience! Enjoy :)

Enchanted Forest: Regina’s Kingdom, 9 Months Before Dark Curse

A low mist hangs near the castle, yet this is no matter for the Evil Queen. She rests easily on a daybed brought out to the balcony by her servants. More swarm her with platters filled with her favorite foods, as she is celebrating the defeat of Snow White. The smile on her lips never falls as she chuckles lowly to herself. Her True Love has been captured and sentenced to life in prison, and Snow White herself is dead. Well, as good as dead, Regina shrugs. She had figured inflicting a Sleeping Curse that causes Snow’s unconscious mind to relive her life’s greatest regrets was more punishment than simply taking her life away. She gleefully sips wine and continuously pops fruits and other goodies into her mouth, feeling a sense of relief she hasn’t known in nearly a decade.  
Next to her on an end table sits a black box with silver detailing. This holds the heart of her slave, The Huntsman, who had failed to murder Snow White. His foolish decision of letting her escape cost him his freedom, now he is hers to do with as she pleases. Humming quietly to herself, she sets down the wine glass and opens the box. Regina traces his heart that she enchanted the moment it was exhumed from his breathing body, thinking of the horrors she’s inflicted on him since that day. Still smiling, she sighs contently at having finally achieved her revenge. The Queen has often been known to flaunt her extravagance with her tendency for brutality often portrayed in her costume, but today she wears a simple yet stunning black lace and mesh dress. The majority of it is see-through, with the thickest parts of the rose and vine lace designs embroidered around her sensitive areas.  
Taking it from the stolen heart, she brings her hand up to caress her chest and moves it up to slightly squeeze her neck. The sensation thrills her, and a triumphant squeal bursts from her, quickly turning into uncontrollable laughter. The servants around her exchange worried glances as her cackling continues. They are never sure what mood the Queen is in and this happy one seems more than a bit suspicious to them. Still, they remain where they’ve been assigned and dare not to move.  
Soon this laugh attack subsides.  
“Oh, goodness. I haven’t laughed like that in… Well, I don’t believe I’ve ever laughed like that,” she breathes out to no one in particular.  
In her bliss, she almost misses the shaking guard who comes through the open doors from her private quarters. After a few moments she looks at him, absorbing his rigid appearance. This finally causes her grin to fall.  
“What?” she asks of him lowly.  
“Y-your M-majesty,” he stutters.  
“Out with it or so help me I will slaughter your entire family,” she drones.  
“I-it’s the Prince, Your Grace. He-”  
Regina cuts him off by beginning to strangle him with her magic from where she sits.  
“You don’t mean to tell me,” she says, continuing to apply pressure more firmly on his throat, “That he’s escaped?”  
“He has,” the lad chokes out.  
“And who let this happen?!” she shouts as her blood begins to boil.  
“‘Dunno, Your Grace, please. I don’t know,” he says as his face starts to redden.  
At this response, Regina stands and lifts the man up and over the rail of the balcony so that he dangles high above the ground that is stories below them.  
“Whose post was it?!” she demands.  
“They’re dead, James killed them,” he struggles to say.  
“His name is David, you insolent fool! James is dead, as will you be!” she shrieks and wrenches her hand, crushing his neck until it breaks.  
She then lets his dead body fall to where it will land near the front gates of the castle. Storming into her chambers, she yells for the Genie trapped in the Mirror Realm. His face appears behind the iron framed mirror on the wall.  
“Mirror! How the fuck did this happen? Where is he?!”  
“I know not, Your Grace, for I cannot see him. I kept an eye on the cell as you requested and to me it appears he’s still there, only… he- isn’t,” Genie explains.  
“So you’re telling me he used magic to escape? How the fuck is that even possible?” Regina says, on the verge of breaking down.  
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, I don’t have the answer,” Genie says sadly, for he cares very deeply for the Queen and her happiness.  
“No, no, no, it can’t be. There must be something you know that could help me. At least tell me where the Dwarves took Snow’s comatose remains?” she cries.  
Genie only averts his eyes, ashamed that his usual powers of omniscience are failing them.  
It’s then that it hits her.  
“That conniving little bastard. I know who was behind this,” Regina spits.  
Taking a deep breath, she staves her tears and slowly saunters back to the balcony where her servants still stand nervously at attention.  
“You’re all dismissed of your duties today, I can imagine seeing a fellow colleague of yours fall would be traumatic. I expect you back tomorrow,” she says calmly.  
They all shuffle quietly out of her sight, relieved to have made it out of there alive.  
The Evil Queen steps up to the fence and looks out at the expanse of her Kingdom. She lingers there for a while, with her eyes finally falling on the manor of the Dark One, and her mentor, Rumplestiltskin.


	5. Made a Deal With the Devil

Storybrooke: Dark Curse Day 10,204

Of the twenty-eight years that Storybrooke has been around, it has never changed with the times. The sorceress who created it never saw the purpose in updating its features, so the same it has remained since its erection in 1983. Mr. Gold, the Pawn Shop owner, and owner of many other establishments within the town's borders, is blissfully unaware of the truth regarding his surroundings. He smirks mischievously as he makes his way slowly down the Main Street. An old injury to his leg has caused him to become dependent on a cane in order to walk. Still, this doesn’t deter him from walking most everywhere he goes, despite a Cadillac waiting dutifully for him in the garage of his house. He seems to always find himself with ample time on his hands, and today is a day he’s anticipated for quite some time. Unlocking the door to his shop, he opens it and the bell above the door jingles loudly. He hears movement in the back which causes the smirk to broaden into a smile.  
Soon, a bald and bearded man emerges from the beaded entryway to the backroom, gripping tightly on a young man who has a look of despair etched on his fine features.  
“Hello, Vincent. Is it done?” Mr. Gold asks.  
“Yes, our friend here was able to acquire your person of interest,” Vincent says, shoving the handsome gentleman forward.  
“I did what you asked, I stole that innocent woman from the library. Now, where is she?” the young man demands.  
Mr. Gold tsks and slowly approaches the brazen fellow, an eerie grin plastered to his face.  
“Now, Jefferson, what makes you think we’ve come to the end of our deal?” he chides, “Vinny,” he gestures at him to take over the conversation.  
Jefferson looks around at him wildly as Vincent comes up behind him, restraining him and holding a knife to his throat.  
“Listen up, little fairy fuck,” Vinny spits in his ear. “You’re a disgrace to this town and lucky that this is the worst of what you have coming. Why, if it were up to me, I’d skin you alive for the sins you’ve committed. But, seeing as we need you,” he says and shoves him away with such force that Jefferson slams into the glass display case in front of them.  
Jefferson steadies himself, gulping his fear down in his best attempt to remain composed.  
“It’ll do you right to not question us if you ever want to see your precious Grace again,” Vinny threatens. “Wait a while, then steal another.”  
“Another?...” Jefferson says hoarsely.  
“Another woman, you twit,” Mr. Gold says from behind the front desk of the shop.  
To this response, rage bubbles up deep within Jefferson’s throat. Vincent and Gold have seen to it that his daughter be put under the care of his parents. This wouldn’t bother him so much if they’d ever allow him to see her, but they think their gay son is unfit for parenting. Being apart from her has been the most difficult thing for him to endure, and he craves the reunion with his daughter with every ounce of his being. His blackmailers agreed to give her back to him if he complies, but this? Kidnap? Even the promise of seeing his dear Grace again pauses his agreeance to assist in their diabolical scheme.  
“Who do you want this time, one of her fellow teachers?” Jefferson sneers.  
“No, no, we don’t want to upset the children further,” Mr. Gold waves his hand. “Have you ever been to Granny’s?” he asks rhetorically.  
“We don’t want the old woman, but her fine employee,” Vinny interjects.  
“Ruby?”  
Vinny and Gold consider each other with a long glance before confirming this inquiry with a nod. The sun cutting in from the blinds on the window shines light on them both as their puppet cowers in the shadows.  
Jefferson takes a moment to weigh his non-existent options.  
“Fine. I’ll do it,” he agrees.  
“Good lad,” Vincent says with a smile and grips tightly on his shoulder. “We’ll make sure to send Grace your love.”

~ 

Regina Mills sighs. As the Mayor of Storybrooke, she must soon address the public over the sudden disappearance of one of its citizens. Although she has performed the speech hundreds of times in the course of her curse, she is particularly pleased at having to do so today. It isn’t often she designed to interact with Snow White, but since Henry entered the fourth grade she has no choice but to do so more frequently with her as his teacher. So it brings great pleasure at finally being able to see her be truly miserable since the day of the most recent reset. This satisfaction at Snow’s emotional demise has decreased in recent years, leaving Regina with the need to expand the company in her life and thus leading her to adopt Henry a decade ago. But the desire for that satisfied feeling has been reborn in the wake of a dream she recently had.  
For the most part, Regina has restless and dreamless nights. She figures herself to be something of an insomniac, having never been properly diagnosed. For countless nights while the entirety of her town sleeps, she’s awake rolling spliff after spliff, hoping to quiet her overworked mind. The sweet sensation of deep slumber rarely comes with ease, but last night was a surprising exception. She had dreamt of being in the arms of her deceased lover. Though, in the dream he was anything but. They shared her bed in Storybrooke and made love for the entirety of it. When she awoke, memories of Daniel flooded her consciousness. He had been taken from her over thirty years prior, and yet she was able to remember him as though he was still with her. Since the morning, she hasn’t been able to shake the unmistakable pain as though he was killed today. The familiar feeling jabs at her heart with what feels like pins made of icy coldness.  
Suppressing it has become second-nature to her, so she puts it out of mind as she steps onto the stage at City Hall where a town meeting has been called. Today she wears a tight, sleeveless black dress that reaches to just above her knees and a white jacket that is patterned by imaged black diamonds. Dark nylons encase her sleek legs and black heels clack on the wooden floor as she makes her way to the podium. Everyone watches her with what Regina chooses to believe is hope.  
“Good evening, residents of Storybrooke,” she greets the downtrodden crowd. “I know that we are all shaken to learn of the disappearance of one of our own. The Sheriff is diligently tracking down leads in hopes of retrieving her yet alive. A search party is being called for directly after this meeting, please see Leroy at the registration table if you’re able to volunteer to help,” Regina explains.  
It’s then she brings her eyes to Mary Margaret who is staring, unseeing, up at the stage. Her face is red and the skin around the eyes are swollen from crying. A great sense of happiness swells in Regina’s heart at this sight, and she stops herself from smiling triumphantly.  
“Anyone willing to help will be aided with fresh coffee and rolls generously provided by Granny’s Tavern,” Regina continues. “The search will continue well into the evening so be sure to bundle up so that our hospital doesn’t over crowd due to sickness. Please consider joining our efforts as we approach the twenty-four hour mark since Lacey went missing, we have a lot of ground to cover and the earlier we retrieve her, the better. Thank you, everyone, for your assistance with this request. Now, let’s get out there,” she concludes.  
She watches from her podium as the members of the audience quickly form a line to sign up for the search party, delighting in the dismayed delay from Mary Margaret. It is now she allows a hint of a smile to form before turning away to fully ignore the search party efforts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up for you guys, hope you'll like what I have in store for you! :) thanks for hangin' in there for me!
> 
> I decided to depict Jeffeson as a homosexual man in this re-telling of OUAT because I'm inspired by the gay characters Sebastian Stan has played in the past (specifically those in Kings and Political Animals).


	6. Shadows from the Past

Enchanted Forest: Regina’s Kingdom, 9 Months Before Dark Curse

Bitter annoyance seethes through the Evil Queen at a dangerous level, even for her. She loathes to appear weak or have anything threaten to dismantle her formidable reputation. The mounting embarrassment she feels over Charming’s escape has shattered her contentment, leaving her with a lust for blood. Tonight, the castle remains heavily guarded with most of the servants on leave. This is due to the fact that her father, Henry, knows her too well and doesn’t want the lives of the help to be lost due to her temper. Regina stands before the looming looking glass that was gifted to her as a wedding present. She had once enchanted it with a rare spell in order to rid herself of her Mother by banishing her to Wonderland. Studying her own reflection, she can still picture the surprised, almost proud, look on Cora’s face as she was sucked through the portal. Now, though, it’s just a regular mirror with access only to the Mirror Realm.  
In a swift gesture, Regina transforms her lace day dress into an elaborate costume for travel. A deep red corset cinches her already nearly impossibly slim waist, and a black bodice pushes her cleavage up so that the enormous necklace jeweled with onyx stones can hug snugly above her breasts. The shoulders of the bodice are skull-carved ivory masterpieces with intricate designs of various wildlife etched into the works of art. She lets her long, curly hair hang down, pulled back slightly by a peaked headdress that comes down her forehead and bridge of her nose, a sizable diamond resting in the center. Hanging down on either side, just before her ears, are two diamond studded, silver snakes that are knotted up within themselves. The corset acts as a leotard, and black stockings held up by girdles reach at mid-thigh. An open, black, tulle skirt bejeweled with diamonds exaggerates the width of her hips and falls down to the floor, leaving a train of just a few inches. Her eyes are donned with a purple smokey eye with matching lip color to tie in the heels strapped on her feet.  
She gives herself a smile to mask the defeat she feels inside, and takes a breath as deep as the corset allows.  
“Daddy!” she bellows, voice echoing through the open doors of her chamber.  
Soon her Father enters, saying, “Yes, Your Majesty?”  
“Have my carriage readied, there is someone I have to see,” she says.  
“Right away,” he bows.  
“Thank you, Daddy,” she smiles.  
She takes one last glance at herself before leaving to fix up a snack ahead of her journey into the village.

~

In the woods just outside of the village closest to the castle lives a father and his daughter. They have recently been making a meager living by selling mushrooms at the marketplace, a drastic change of pace from the past success the father brought by portal jumping with help from his magical hat. He used to be mixed up with various shady characters, including the Dark One and others, collecting magical artifacts for pay. Now, Jefferson sits next to his daughter, Grace, reading aloud from her favorite bedtime story. Before he’s able to finish it, he hears her lightly snoring so he sets the book down in order to fetch a couple more logs for the fire. Momentarily he loses his motivation to leave her side, and lightly rests his hand on her head. He smiles at the knowledge that she is safe and sound in front of him. Although he had realized the love he held for her mother had changed to that of friendship before her death, it still broke his heart when she passed away a few years ago.  
Grace’s mother was Jefferson’s first love, but all of that changed the moment he met a mysterious man in his travels to obtain something for Queen Regina. He was in the Land of Untold Stories to make a deal for what the Queen desired, when he physically ran into the most gorgeous creature he’d ever laid eyes on. Though this man wasn't interested in a relationship, he showed Jefferson a life he never knew could be so intoxicating. It was then that he knew he could never return to the bed he shared with his wife. He no longer felt the same desire for her that had always felt forced to him from the start of their marriage. Jefferson swore off portal jumping when she was killed by a victim of his who was seeking revenge for an artifact stolen from them. It was then he vowed to fully commit to the safety and well-being of his daughter.  
Cutting ties with the Queen at that time was especially difficult, for she had come to lean on him for support during her forced marriage to the King. Regina had never wanted to marry Leopold, yet had no choice but to play the part of his bride and step-mother to the Princess. She endured endless horrors at the hands of the aged King Leopold, from verbal abuse to his brutal ignoring of her vow of chastity. Sometimes she would call for Jefferson only to sob in his arms because she trusted no one else with this truth. She dared not even tell her father in order to protect him from confronting her mother over what she and the King were putting her through.  
There was a time when he once thought of her as brave, but that bravery turned to malice after enough time. Jefferson knew that Regina was the one truly responsible for the death of the King, though she blamed it on Snow White and labeled her a fugitive of the thrown. Since then he has hung up his hat, trying to live a low-key life with his daughter in the woods. He shivers in the dampness of their cabin, and stands in order to collect the wood from outside. A cool wind strikes him as he steps out into the night. After taking a few steps toward the log pile, he stops for he hears something on the wind; Hooves, and the rattle of a carriage. His heart drops at the familiar sound, causing his mind to reel. Picking up the pace, he retrieves the wood and tosses it on the fire inside. He leaves again to meet the carriage outside, for it is undoubtedly on its way to him.  
It approaches and comes to a halt on the road. The Evil Queen peers out from the seat inside to check her surroundings before knocking to have the door opened. A Black Knight obliges and assists her out of the carriage. Jefferson takes in her intimidating appearance with a look of uncertainty, stepping backward on instinct.  
“Jefferson,” she states as she comes to stand before him. “Poverty doesn’t suit you,” she says, shaking her head.  
“Pleasure to see you, too, Regina,” he jeers with a sarcastic smile, “You’ve changed.”  
“So have you, and not for the better,” she responds coyly, “Is this the best life you could imagine for your darling daughter?”  
“It doesn’t matter what we don’t have, we have our health and each other. What is it that you want?”  
“Do I need to have a reason to visit an old friend?” she pouts, then laughs. “You still know me so well after all these years apart.”  
“Well, I know you more than most,” he assures, hoping to remind her of the intimate past they share in order to remain on her good side.  
The tension between them rises as the silence extends. Jefferson consciously stops himself from shaking in fear over what she might request of him.  
“Aren’t you going to invite me inside?” she asks sweetly.  
“No, what do you want?”  
She tsks in annoyance. Usually she wouldn’t accommodate such insolence but she remains loyal to the friendship they once shared.  
“It’s this pesky Prince I’m having issues with. I’ve tried imprisonment and would now like to try banishment. Has your hat still any charge left in it?”  
Jefferson resists rolling his eyes as his fears are confirmed.  
“You know I gave that up long ago,” he mutters in a low tone of voice.  
“Yes, after your wife perished, I know,” she waves it off as though speaking about a minor inconvenience. “But of course I have an offer for you that you should find quite… Appealing,” she says, eyes drifting to the ramshackled house behind him. “I can offer you status in my court. You and your daughter would live within the palace walls and want for nothing. All I ask is that you help me with ridding this realm of Snow White’s Prince Charming.”  
He takes a breath to deny her this, but she cuts him off.  
“Of course, if you aren’t able to help I will take Grace in as my ward, and banish you instead,” she warns with a sinister smile.  
“Regina, please,” he implores softly, “Grace is all that I have.”  
“Then I don’t see why you can’t just accept my offer. Help me to dispose of the Prince from George’s Kingdom, and forever live in comfort with your dear wee one.”  
He slowly turns to gaze at the front door of the small house that Grace has lived in since she was a baby. The thought of being apart from her is unbearable so he, again, meets the Queen’s eye.  
“Alright,” he nods, “I’ll help you.”  
“You’ve made the right choice, Jefferson,” Regina beams.  
Jefferson hesitates before returning the smile, angry at himself for not escaping with Grace to another realm when he had the chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this most recent update!! I love writing this fic as though OUAT were meant for HBO instead of regular TV LOL! I'll continue to explore darker themes in this fic. 
> 
> P.S. Going into detail about their wardrobes is a guilty pleasure :)


	7. Toxic Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did remember that the enforced draft for the ogre wars was indeed at age fourteen, instead of sixteen. So I edited chapter two to reflect that Baelfire was at age fourteen when Rumple became the Dark One/Bae fell through to the Land Without Magic.
> 
> Thank you so so much for reading! This fic is a blast for me to write, as I struggled to follow the timeline that's canon on Once. While figuring out my own, I insisted on having the timing all be correct, lol! So, I will end up having to change the canon birthday for Henry to better fit the timeline I have in place. Also, Neal is only about 19 years old when he meets Emma.. not creepy old like he was in the show. 0:)

America: Portland, Maine, February, 2001

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Neal Cassidy breathes out in disbelief.  
He’s staring at a piece of paper that was printed on with a manual typewriter by whom he took to be a random writer. The words on the page send his mind into panic as the pain from his past resurfaces.  
It reads ‘I know you are Baelfire.’  
“Who the fuck are you, and how, exactly, do you know who I am?” he demands of the man before him.  
“Look, I know it’s crazy, but we’re actually from the same world. From the Enchanted Forest,” the writer says.  
Neal’s breath hitches as tears sting his eyes. He never imagined he’d hear mention of his home world, again, let alone meet someone from there.  
“I’m August Booth, but people there knew me as Pinocchio. I was sent to this world as the Evil Queen’s curse took over Snow White’s Kingdom. I know these names don’t mean anything to you, but your father had a hand in it,” August claims.  
The news that his father is alive doesn’t come as a surprise, but still he loathes to hear it confirmed.  
“And, what of it?” Neal spits as hatred for Rumplestiltskin fills his heart.  
“I didn’t... come here alone. There was another child- a baby, who is destined to break the curse. She’s not a baby anymore. Before they sent us through to escape it, they called her The Savior,” August says. “That baby is Emma, Neal. She’s the product of True Love, born of Snow White and Prince David. Emma Swan is the Savior.”  
For a moment, Neal loses his ability to form words and he stares at August with contempt. The woman he speaks of is one that has recently stolen his heart. Neal has been living on the East Coast for five years since his 291 year long stay in Neverland. For the majority of that stay he laid in hiding and isolation. It was a hard life, so he was overwhelmed and mystified by the United States of America when he arrived looking like a fourteen year old boy. He eventually found his way to Portland, Maine after having stolen the identity of a dead teenager from Virginia. There he lived on the streets and ran small con jobs in order to scrape together enough for food and clothes from thrift stores.  
One day, he spotted an old yellow bug in pristine condition sitting unattended on the side of the road. He never knew a pull toward his destiny in such a way, and was inexplicably drawn to it. Upon peeking inside, he saw a lump in the visor. Smirking, he hopped inside and pulled it down, when the keys fell into his lap. It was then he saw a girl approaching the car. In his panic at her beauty and the possibility that she might be the car’s owner, he jumped into the backseat to hide before she could see him.  
The girl hastily entered, slamming the door shut, and began searching the usual spots of where someone might hide their keys. It became apparent to him that she, too, was trying to steal the vehicle. He confronted his fellow thief, and the two agreed to share the car since neither had a place to stay. They quickly fell in love, leading a life of petty villainy in order to survive. Neal and Emma made a stealthy pair, but soon grew tired of their dishonest ways. Wanting to make a better life for themselves, Neal ran one last heist to steal a duffel bag filled with valuable watches. His partner ratted him out and his name ended up with a warrant for his arrest on it. He is now supposed to be on his way to meet up with Emma, who has already sold the watches for a hefty profit.  
“So, Emma…” he struggles to say, “Is from the Enchanted Forest?”  
“I’m afraid so,” August says in an apologetic tone. “She needs to be cut free of her ties here so that she can follow her destiny.”  
Confusion mixed with anger bubbles up, making Neal forget his self-taught social etiquette.  
“Fuck you,” Neal fumes, “Who the fuck are you to come here and tell me this? Emma and I are happy together. Hell, we’re on our way outta town tonight to start our life over in Tallahassee!”  
“You can’t,” August insists, stepping toward Neal with urgency. “Please, I know… I know how difficult it is to leave someone behind. But you have to believe me. She’s the only one who can free my people. Free my father,” he says, eyes brimming with tears. “Please, you have to let her go.”  
Neal studies August with a cold stare. The thought of abandoning Emma the same way he was abandoned by his father causes his heart to break.  
“No, I can’t just leave her,” he cries, “She’s all I have, what- What do you expect me to do?”  
“To let her live her life. And once it’s time, she’ll return to where she fell through the portal and save the lives of everyone the Evil Queen has cursed, returning them home to the Enchanted Forest.”  
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Neal says, again, only this time in defeat.  
He knows there’s no way to convince his beloved of the strange circumstances that lead them to each other. And if it’s true that his father is alive, there’s a possibility that he, too, is trapped in America. He wants nothing to do with that man ever again, and considers telling August to go fuck himself. But his conscious tugs to the forefront of his mind and he thinks of all the rest of the residents from his home world who are now cursed to a life in America. He doesn’t believe he could live with the guilt of knowing he’d be keeping them from salvation by remaining at Emma’s side.  
“I’ll leave her. But get out of my sight. I never want to see you, again,” Neal all but whispers.  
August gives him one last pained glance before he hops on his motorcycle and drives away. Neal watches with blurred vision as the mysterious man disappears. A numbness blocks all senses other than that of sorrow. He lets the fateful note flutter to the ground as he brings his hands up to bury his face in, and allows for tears of remorse to seep through them in his despair.


	8. Not a Dry Eye in the House

Storybrooke: Dark Curse Day 10,208

Mary Margaret lays sleepless on the queen sized bed in her spacious yet empty apartment. The same affliction has haunted her for most of the nights since Lacey’s disappearance, and tonight the sun has only just set. She sighs as silent tears slide down her cheeks, soaking into the pillow she’s already had to flip over.  
All of a sudden, she hears a knock at the door.  
Sniffling, she scrunches her brow and sits up. A second knock comes while walking up to it as she wipes the fresh tears away.  
“I’m coming,” she mumbles and opens the door to find Ruby and her redheaded friend, Georgette, holding two bottles of wine.  
“Hey, girl!” Ruby chimes in hesitant cheer, “You remember my good friend Georgette, who works at City Hall?”  
“Yes, how are you two doing tonight?” Mary Margaret asks with a weak smile.  
Even though she herself was going through hell, she always made sure to check in with the well being of those around her.  
“Oh, we’re doing alright!” Georgette says. “We thought we might swing by and see if you wanted some company tonight? Ruby says you’ve only been out for work since…” she trails off, wagging the bottle of wine in her hands.  
“You know what, guys, I don’t know if I’m feeling up for it. I really appreciate the thought, so maybe I can get a rain check?”  
Ruby looks at her with an understanding yet sad expression.  
“Most definitely. You can just give us a call tonight, too, if you change your mind,” she says.  
Mary Margaret bites her lip and nods, “Thanks, again, I’ll call you tomorrow.”  
“Okay,” Ruby pouts, then smiles and wraps her in a quick hug after handing off the second bottle of wine to Georgette.  
“Have a good night,” Georgette waves as they make their leave down the hall.  
“You, too!” Mary Margaret calls after them before letting the door close shut, releasing the tears she was only able to hold off for so long.  
“God, what’s wrong with me?” she whispers softly to herself.  
The grief of not knowing the fate of her friend has completely shattered Mary Margaret’s innately cheerful nature, replacing it with an overwhelming sadness that she feels constantly. Although this mental state is frustrating to her, it is also closing her off from those she should be leaning on for support at this time and she knows it. She knows, and doesn’t care. She flops back down onto her bed and for the first time in a long time, falls asleep on it in almost an instant.

~

Georgette breathes out slowly as she waits outside for Ruby to exit the only liquor store in town. Since they won’t be drinking with Mary Margaret tonight, Ruby decided the need for something a little stronger than wine. The entire town has been on edge since Lacey went missing, but none more so than Georgette, for she has a secret. A secret that causes her to shiver now, and wish with all her might that she could just disappear off the face of the earth. The cold temperature outside ensures that the majority of the town are at home, safe and warm in their beds. This thought despairs her, as she knows with certainty that Lacey is not so lucky.  
“Whew!” Ruby exclaims as she meets her friend by the door, “Sorry about that, Leroy was in line so I was catching up with him for a minute.”  
“That’s alright, what’d ya get us?” Georgette asks, masking her rising nerves with forced enthusiasm.  
“Just some rum and coke, figured why not let this party last?” Ruby says with a laugh.  
“Why not?” she repeats and laughs with her.  
The two walk towards Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop on their way to Ruby’s apartment. It’s not far from Granny’s, but she just needed a little space from her after living and working with her for years on end.  
“Also, grabbed a couple of these to keep us warm while we walk,” Ruby teases, and hands Georgette a two ounce bottle of flavored vodka.  
“Oo, how very thoughtful of you,” Georgette smiles and takes one as they turn the corner down the alley, a shortcut to Ruby’s backdoor.  
It’s then she sees what she’s been dreading, and panic washes through her. Jefferson approaches them with a grimly determined expression on his face. But, this is the wrong time, she cries inwardly. I’m supposed to have one more night with her, she thinks as tears sting her eyes. As they walk closer, Jefferson looks at her sadly, for he knows she doesn’t agree with this abduction same as he.  
Ruby had been too distracted by holding the bag of rum and trying to open the double shot of flavored vodka to have noticed the man in the alley, at first. The want to stop and tell Ruby to run courses through Georgette to the point where she almost risks it all. But the stakes are too great, so she just brings her eyes to her friend in order to see her smiling. It’s then Ruby looks up to see Jefferson walking towards them.  
“Oh, hey, Jefferson,” she says cheerfully, “How’s Grace?”  
Georgette tears her eyes from her friend’s face and looks away to stifle a sob.  
In a swift motion he steps into her, bringing a white cloth lightly soaked with chloroform up to knock her out with. For a moment, Ruby struggles and almost shouts, but soon goes limp in his arms.  
“Oh, J, please be careful with her,” Georgette cries as quietly as her anguish allows.  
Jefferson stuffs the cloth in his jacket pocket and hands the liquor Ruby was holding to Georgette in order to take her on his shoulder. She sniffles and unlocks the backdoor of Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop for them. They disappear into the back of the shop accompanied only by the sound of rustling bags and the jingling together of two bottles of wine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Nearly New Year to you all!!  
> Thank you so much for your patience, I know this chapter took a while to update and I'm sorry that it's so short.  
> There's more in store for you soon!  
> Hope you all have a fun and safe night celebrating the turn into 2019!  
> <3


	9. A Once Untold Story

Land of Untold Stories: A Few Years Before the Dark Curse

The man known throughout the realms as the Huntsman makes his way toward a specific vendor at the the open market. He’d heard of a mythical bow that enchants the arrows strung to it with a spell to allow for no pain to be inflicted on one’s prey, so that they may die in peace. Being a man of high morals who only kills out of necessity, this is something he desires beyond all else. So much so that he made a deal with the mermaid Ariel to travel via underwater portal to this Land of Untold Stories for only forty-eight hours in order to track it down. He’ll have to make it back to her in time before the portal closes to get back home to the Enchanted Forest. Although he’s only just arrived, he moves with such haste as though the portal will be shut in ten minutes instead of two days.  
A purse weighs heavily at his side and he grips it tightly in an attempt to hide it from potential thieves. Ariel had warned him about the sticky fingered street rats that crawl the streets of this realm, and he needs nearly every coin he owns to trade for this mythical bow. After a strenuous walk through the bustling streets of the market, he finds the weapons vendor he’s been seeking.  
“Good day,” the handsome man with scruffy facial hair greets the shopkeeper.  
“Good day to thee, sir, what can I do for ye?” a nearly toothless old man replies.  
“I’ve heard of the bow that you have for sale here, the one that kills without any pain?” the Huntsman says, “Is that still available for purchase?”  
“Why, yes, indeed, yerr the first to have inquired about it,” the old man smiles.  
Huntsman’s heart skips a beat in anticipation. A small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as the shopkeeper pulls it out from wooden box.  
“Guaranteed instant ‘nd painless death ferr yerr prey, that’ll be 350 gold,” he says.  
“And, I’m just supposed to take your word for it?” Huntsman looks at him skeptically.  
“Well, I could shoot ye if ya like,” the old man says, deadpan.  
For a second, Huntsman just blinks at him until the man erupts with laughter.  
“No, I can demonstrate for ye, come,” he waves for Huntsman to follow.  
They round the corner together and stop when they arrive at the small gate to the shopkeeper’s chicken coup.  
“Perfect timing, actually, it’s me wife’s birthday today so I was gonna cook one o‘ these up for ‘er later,” the old man says and grips tightly on the gorgeous bow.  
As the man strings an arrow and raises the contraption in order to shoot, the Huntsman admires the craftsmanship of it. Sturdy wood carved with intricate designs and painted green will make for the perfect hunting companion. The man shoots and hits a chicken soundlessly. Huntsman watches the doomed creature as its soul immediately leaves its body and breathes out, impressed.  
“I’ve never seen a kill so swift and humane,” Huntsman muses, “Sold, my friend.”  
He unties the pouch from his side and trades the heavy sack for his new weapon.  
“Thank ye, sir, pleasure doin’ business,” the old man nods and shuffles away back to his tent shop.  
The Huntsman sighs deeply, happy in the knowledge that his prey will no longer suffer at his hands. Throwing the bow onto his back, it slides into place and locks onto his armor, replacing the old bow he’d left at home in order for the weapon’s spot to be filled anew. Even though he had made sure to travel on a full stomach, his begins to grumble. Puzzled, he surmises portal travel must take a toll on the human body.  
“Excuse me,” he stops a woman on the street, “Is there a tavern nearby?”  
“Ugh!” she scoffs, “I have a boyfriend!”  
And she storms away.  
“Uhm… I’m gay! But okay,” he calls after her, and shakes his head as she disappears in the crowd.  
“Tavern’s just across the way,” an older woman advises him with a wink, pointing over the open market.  
“Thanks,” he says with a kind smile.  
He fumbles inside his armor for the secret compartment that holds his backup coinage. A few gold pieces jingle together, letting him know he has enough for at least a meal and a couple of drinks. Huntsman steps into the busy flow of human traffic on the market street. He gives another look at the weapons vendor out of habit, as he’s usually on the lookout for newer and better weapons. Now, though, he has no need for them, his new bow is the only he’ll use on his hunts. Just as he brings his attention back to the road, a young and handsome man with a top hat crashes into him. The wind gets knocked out of him as the two fumble to stay upright and quickly collapse together, the Huntsman on his back with the dapper man on top of him.  
“Oh, gosh,” the man huffs, “I am, I am so sorry.”  
He hurries to stand while adjusting his hat tightly on his head, and offers his hand to the Huntsman. Grabbing it, he takes a deep breath as he’s pulled up.  
Huntsman smiles at him while coughing slightly, “Please, don’t worry about it. Thanks for the help.”  
The man, now with his hat tilted, stares at him as their hands remain connected. For a moment, Huntsman’s eyes drift to his lips and they both gasp, releasing their grip and step back from each other.  
“Uh, you bet,” the man says, avoiding his eyes. “Well, have a good one.”  
He tips his hat and begins to step away, a light breeze blowing his long coat back as he finds an open area in the road to walk through.  
“Yeah, you, too,” Huntsman says, turning in order to watch him leave.  
Before the man is out of sight, he can’t shake the longing in his heart and quickly chases after him.  
“Hey, wait,” he calls, but isn’t heard, “Excuse me, excuse me, please, thank you. Hey, top hat!”  
The man looks back and his hard expression softens into a smile. They step off to the side of the street in order to talk in peace and not have to be in constant motion with the other patrons of the market.  
“Hey, Huntsman,” the man smirks.  
He looks at him with surprise, “You know who I am?”  
“No, but only a true hunter would have an enchanted weapon such as yours,” he says, gesturing to the bow strapped to his back.  
“This? I only just bought it. How do you know of its powers?”  
“I make it my business to know the whereabouts and abilities of all known magical objects. Name’s Jefferson, by the way,” he beams and offers his hand for a proper introduction.  
“Pleasure, Jefferson, everyone calls me Huntsman,” he says and steps into the handshake, taking his forearm with his other hand.  
“Charmed.”  
They release each other, “I was about to head to the tavern, can I buy you a drink?” Huntsman offers.  
“I’m parched,” Jefferson sighs with a dreamy smile.  
“Well, hopefully I can remedy that for you,” Huntsman teases.  
Completely entranced by one another, the two men share the rest of Huntsman’s time in the Land of Untold Stories together, engaged in romantic bliss with something new being awaken in Jefferson. He never articulated the fact that he was married, or what business he had in that land and was sad but understanding to hear that the Huntsman had to leave after just two days together. Jefferson had fallen for him, in a way, because he never knew a person could hold the amount of compassion that the Huntsman has. They reluctantly parted ways, never knowing that they both hailed from the same realm of the Enchanted Forest.

~

Enchanted Forest: 7 Months Before the Dark Curse

Shortly after the Evil Queen had recruited Jefferson to assist her with finding Prince Charming in order to banish him, he found his hat had been destroyed by none other than Snow White herself. Regina, being a woman of her word, agreed to still allow for him and his daughter to be ushered in as official members of her court, as the destruction of his precious hat was out of his control. And, to be honest, the Queen also missed the company of those who voluntarily liked to spend time with her. Her Huntsman only provides her with physical release when she forces it on him, and she knows he’ll never enjoy her company. She keeps that part of her life a secret from her new members of Court. Grace is in training to become a proper lady, and Regina often walks the grounds of her castle with her and Jefferson, bringing her heart out of darkness if only for a moment. The man still has his reservations about the Evil Queen, but since Grace is happy, so is he.  
Today, though, Regina heard a disturbing rumor regarding her slave that needs to be addressed immediately. She has called a war meeting as a rouse to gather all of her guards together in order to seek out the truth.  
“Jefferson, how would you like to join me as a member of my Council? It’s relatively barren as of late, but I have always valued your opinion as you’ve never lead me astray,” the Evil Queen praises of him as they exit the garden together. “What do you say?”  
Taken aback, Jefferson looks at her, almost amused, “Me? A member of your Council?”  
“The only other member,” Regina clarifies, tilting her head toward him, “I would come to you for aid and advice with all matters of state.”  
He weighs the possibility of what this proposition might mean for his future, and quickly determines that it would be for the best to acquiesce her request.  
“I’m absolutely flattered, Your Majesty. Yes, I accept. How can I ever repay your generosity?” he asks.  
“Just remain with me here, and stay loyal to your Queen,” she states in a tone that mimics a question.  
“I promise this to you,” Jefferson says with a low bow before they enter back into the castle.  
“Very good. Our first Council Meeting will begin presently,” she says, picking up her pace and drawing her hand through the air to produce a bright red, human heart out of thin air. “Go to the War Room. Now,” she commands into it.  
Perturbed, Jefferson hides his uneasiness at the strange sight and rejoins her stride. As he does so, he straightens the deep purple, velvet jacket he wears over his beige tunic and snug trousers. The Evil Queen lifts her expansive skirts up as they ascend the stairs toward the War Room. She wears a navy blue dress that fits her form flawlessly, the skirt of it being enhanced with black tulle for depth. As is her usual style, the skirt exaggerates the width of her hips, and the corset of the dress lifts her cleavage up quite gorgeously. She purposely forgot the jacket that matches in order to feel a bit of sun on her sleeveless arms and shoulders during their completed walk through the garden. The chilly air in the corridor goes unnoticed by her as they walk briskly toward their meeting. Together they arrive at the door, and she halts before entering.  
“You’ve encountered your fair share of violence, haven’t you, Jefferson?” the Evil Queen asks with an eyebrow raised.  
The question causes a chill to run up his spine, and he swallows hard.  
“Why yes, Your Majesty. Unfortunately in my old line of work, violence occurred often enough for me to develop a rather thick skin where others might be squeamish,” he answers carefully.  
“Good! One can never know too much about their fellow Court and Council member, don’t you think?” Regina says as an excuse for her seemingly random inquiry.  
“Never, My Queen,” Jefferson says without hesitation.  
She nods, and the doorman swings open the doors for them.  
The two enter the room in unison, and Jefferson takes in the rigid appearance of her assembled guards. The sight of all of them here together stirs up nervousness in him, causing him to fidget with his sleeve in order to remain composed and confident. He figures the reason they’ve been called to this meeting isn’t a good one.  
“Where is he?” the Evil Queen drones in annoyance.  
No one answers, so she again pulls out the heart from thin air and shouts into it, “Get in here!”  
Jefferson can’t help a quizzical expression from forming on his face as he looks at Regina. Whom was she commanding with that enchanted heart? In an instant his question is answered, and his own heart shattered. The Huntsman enters the room, his appearance clean yet curiously downtrodden. The two men make eye contact and that nervousness Jefferson had began to feel now spikes to utter horror and anxiety. He suppresses tears of hatred as he brings his hard gaze to the Evil Queen.  
“Good of you to join us,” Regina badgers the Huntsman.  
“My apologies, Your Grace,” he responds gruffly, and walks past them to stand with the rest of the guards.  
Jefferson brings his attention back to him and notices how the Huntsman avoids to meet his eyes for a second time.  
“It has been brought to my attention that someone here knows exactly what happened the night of Prince David’s charming escape,” Regina calls out. “Pray tell and enlighten me to the situation.”  
Upon receiving no response from the timid guards, she adds, “No need to fret, you will be pardoned for not having spoken up sooner.”  
She sees a guard react instinctively at the welcomed relieving words, and lifts her head with a satisfied smile.  
“Come forward, Clyde,” the Evil Queen gloats.  
The guard pauses, taking a moment to look at those around him for support. They all consider him with a solemn mood with some of the men patting him on the shoulder. He steps up and stands before his Queen.  
“Your Majesty, it is was at the hands of the Huntsman that the guards posted were perished,” he accuses softly.  
“And how do you know this?” she says after a scoff.  
“I- saw it, Your Grace.”  
The Evil Queen shudders and falters backwards. Needing to keep up his trusting facade, Jefferson rushes to assist her to which she shouts and shoves him away. The Huntsman watches this exchange with a face firm as stone.  
Tears swell up in Regina’s eyes and she cries, “Then your eyes must have been LYING!”  
She pushes passed the Black Knight and stands before the Huntsman.  
“Tell me they were lying, Huntsman.”  
He responds with a silence so piercing that Jefferson cringes behind her back as Regina wails in torment.  
Once again commanding from his enchanted heart, she weakly says, “Be truthful to your Queen.”  
“The night Prince David broke free, I saw two guards chasing him near the back gate, and subdued them to allow for him to escape,” Huntsman confesses.  
“You allowed for him to escape so that he would wake Snow White from MY Sleeping Curse! He succeeded in his quest, you do realize this? Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve doomed everyone here to a life of misery! Because of you I must do something now that I-” she stops suddenly, realizing she’s been crushing her slave’s heart tighter, nearing the end of him for all eternity.  
She relaxes her grip and takes a deep, shaky breath.  
“As punishment for your crimes against the throne,” the Evil Queen hisses, “Your sentence is to carry out the execution of the dishonorable Black Knight Clyde of Pasture Hill.”  
“No, Your Grace!” Clyde yells.  
Jefferson looks wildly between the guard and Huntsman, his heart breaking at the prospect of the merciful man having to carry out such a gruesome order on someone innocent.  
Without stopping to think, he appeals, “Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider this sentencing. You said yourself he’d be pardoned!”  
The Evil Queen spins to glare at him coldly. Realizing that regardless of his new standings in Court and Council, it still is ill-advised to question his sovereign matriarch, and he bows his head to her.  
“It’s not so difficult to comprehend, Jefferson. People lie,” she retorts whimsically, yet with defeat. “Now,” she says, returning her attention to the Huntsman, “Because of your insolence, the Prince was able to wake his beloved Princess with True Love’s Kiss. Do you know how painfully difficult it was to curse her with eternal sleep? It should be you who dies! You disgraceful piece of shit, you’re the one who has done this, who has forced me to do this! KILL HIM! NOW!”  
Jefferson looks on helplessly as a tearful Huntsman draws his sword and advances on Clyde.  
“Please,” the Black Knight shouts at the Evil Queen, “Have mercy, Your Grace!”  
A smirk spreads on her lips as Huntsman brutally attacks the man, sending blood flying from the end of his sword. The unfortunate Black Knight falls at his hands within seconds. He holds still his blade, breathing heavily and staring at the dead man before him.  
“No,” Jefferson breathes inaudibly.  
“Now dispose of his body,” the Evil Queen growls, still holding the heart but only at her side.  
“Yes, Your Grace,” he whimpers.  
“Allow me to assist him, Your Majesty,” Jefferson blurts out.  
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear to you,” Regina says, “You want to side with my enemies? Fine, just don’t expect mercy from me when I discover the truth.”  
Huntsman casts a despairing glance at the man attempting to stand up for him, and Jefferson dismays at refraining from rushing to his side.  
“Wise decision, sir,” she smiles wretchedly at his resistance. “Now, all of you, carry on with your daily duties.”  
The horrified crowd disperses in silence.  
“Jefferson, I’ll be taking Grace into the village today. There’s a theater troupe in town and I believe she’d delight at seeing their show. Care to join us?” she asks him casually, as though the recent events here in the War Room were that of a minor altercation.  
He sees her vanish away his past lover’s heart, and fakes a smile.  
“My Queen, you are most considerate to be so active in the life of my child. I can only hope she’ll continue to grow into a woman as strong as yourself. Please, take the day for just the two of you ladies, I can imagine you’ve dealt with enough male company for today,” he says lightly.  
“I daresay you are correct, dear,” she sighs. “Very well, and Huntsman, ensure that this mess is cleaned in its entirety before Grace and my return.”  
At this point, the Huntsman has dropped to his knees and seems unable to release his bloodied weapon. The Evil Queen steps carefully around him and exits the War Room, her heels echoing loudly throughout the large hall before she disappears into the corridor. The two men listen as the sound continues down the hallway with it eventually falling away out of earshot.  
“Huntsman,” Jefferson whispers, relieved at finally being allowed the chance to speak to him.  
He crouches down to his level in order to better assess the man’s mental state. The Huntsman stares blankly at his own hands that are still white-knuckling his sword.  
“Give it to me, hey. It’s okay, just let go,” Jefferson coaxes.  
He groans as Jefferson pries his fingers lose to take the sword and cast it aside.  
“Can you stand?” he asks gently.  
As a response, Huntsman vomits as shock sets in.  
“I’ll take that as a no. Alright, come on, let’s get you out of here.”  
Jefferson helps him up by taking one of his arms across his shoulders and pulling him up by his waist. He sets his mind to the task at hand, eager to get the Huntsman to a place where he can rest, yet deep inside he begins to plot a heist that is as brave as it is foolish.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, dear reader! So, for my own personal reasons I needed to combine these couple tellings into one chapter, I’ll explain why when we get to chapter 13. Hope you don’t mind long chapters! There might be a few more long ones before we get to 13. Thank you and I hope you enjoy <3


	10. Dance, Puppet, Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw** the second part of this chapter contains alcohol/drug abuse, implied domestic abuse, and implied non-con

Storybrooke: Dark Curse Day 10,214

To Regina’s design, the search party that had been gathered to find Lacey was a bust and with Ruby having disappeared, as well, the town is somewhat on edge. But the frenzy that would engulf any small town in a similar situation seems to be dampened in Storybrooke. Because not only did Regina curse the timelines of those trapped in her city, but also for the minds of the average citizen to be rather simple. And for some even to turn a blind eye to reason, what is right and what is wrong. This is something that Henry begins to notice as the urgency for finding the missing women seems to be fizzling out with the lack of evidence that they were abducted. There are those that swear they just ran away, but Henry knows for a fact that Lacey, known to him as Ms. Cash, would never have abandoned the school or her students without saying goodbye. This weighs on him so heavily that he demands answers from his mother while they’re having dinner.  
“Mom, what happened to Ms. Cash and Ms. Lucas? Why aren’t we still out looking for them?” he says, as he had bravely volunteered to help in the search that was held ten days ago for the first time.  
Regina blinks at him while finishing her bite of Caesar salad, unnerved at the questions but not quite surprised. She swallows and dabs her mouth lightly with the napkin from her lap.  
“We’ve searched this town high and low for the missing teacher, my dear. You should know that, you were there. So now there’s nowhere else to look. As for Ms. Lucas, it is more than likely that she just skipped town. She’s always voiced her discontent for living in such a small town. To be honest, I always felt that she had been born for Big City Life so perhaps she left for Portland because she was sick of working at Granny's? Regardless, it is not our job to track them down, that’s what we have a sheriff for,” she says patiently.  
“And what exactly is Sheriff Graham doing to find them?” Henry persists.  
She opens her mouth to reply, only to close it again before answering. She sighs, smiling at him and taking the glass of red wine from the table to hold in her hands.  
“Lately I’ve been wondering the same thing,” she says, leaning forward and looking Henry in the eye. “I’m going to call your babysitter so that I can head down to the office right now to see where the investigation stands. Then I can give you an informed update. How does that sound, my sweet prince?” she smiles again and gives him a wink.  
“Thanks, Mom. That sounds good,” he smiles back.  
“Okay,” Regina nods and stands, wine glass in hand. “Finish your dinner.”  
Henry obediently digs into his salad as Regina walks from the dining room to the kitchen to dial his sitter from the phone mounted on the wall. She does so and arranges for her to head over immediately, which won’t be long as the sitter is also their next door neighbor. Leaving Henry in her capable hands, Regina downs the last of the wine in her glass before heading out into the fading twilight.  
As she makes her way towards the driveway, she digs into the pocket of her great fur coat that shields her from the coming winter. She had pulled it on over a magnificent embroidered and sequined white jacket, re-embroidered in gold sequins and beads that she wears with an ankle-length white, silk satin skirt. She takes out the sleek silver cigarette case that’s filled with spliffs and its matching lighter. Her white and gold heels clack on the path that leads to her car as she brings one to her apricot lips and sparks it up. The delicious combination of tobacco and weed hits her lungs pleasantly, dissolving the slight irritation built up by the inquiries of her son.  
Serves me right for raising such a smart kid, she lightheartedly chides herself.  
The trip to her office is a quick one taken in her slick black BMW. By the time she’s unlocking her Mayoral office door, she’s already sucking down her third spliff. Once inside, the sounds of the ticking clock and her heels on the marble floor are the only she hears, the rest of the building is vacant as it is no longer in business hours. She slides the heavy coat off and throws it on the couch as she saunters towards her safe. Taking a long drag on the spliff, she brings it from her lips to hold it in the same hand she uses to enter the combination. The lock clicks, and the safe opens to reveal a grim sight: A red, glowing heart.  
She takes it with her free hand and speaks into it, “Graham, meet me at my office. We have to talk, now."  
She moves to put it back, but stops, saying, "Oh, and bring a cheese pizza with you.”  
Replacing the heart, she locks it safely away and moves to light a fire in her grand fireplace. She does so and stares into the fire, smoking and thinking, until the breathless sheriff comes through her door.  
“Madam Mayor,” Graham huffs, “I had a feeling you wanted pizza?”  
Regina turns to him and smiles.  
“How very intuitive of you, Graham. Yes, thank you, you can put in on the table here,” she says, gesturing to the low table near the fireplace and tossing her filter into the fire. “Please feel free to help yourself to a slice or two, as well as a drink.”  
“Thank you, uh, you look magnificent, by the way. Is there anything I can help you with while I’m here?” he asks as he sets the pizza box down.  
“Pour one for me, too, would you?” she says, lighting yet another spliff from her cigarette box. Now she is down to only three for the night.  
“Of course,” he nods.  
“Now, this is going to sound silly coming from me, for I have a limited history in law, but- What more could be done to find the missing women of our town?”  
“Uhm, uh-” Graham mutters, pausing for a moment as he fixes them both a drink.  
Regina doesn’t blame him for not knowing an answer. This is a conversation they’ve never held together in the ten years since the curse was cast. She doesn't know what she's doing, or feeling. For all these years, she has never cared about the well-being of the missing women, only that they suffer for their pasts in the Enchanted Forest. Hell, right now, she knows exactly where they are and what is being done to them as they speak. But there is a strange new feeling, deep down inside of her; a feeling she hasn't yet placed as guilt.  
“Unfortunately, Regina, the leads on the whereabouts of Lacey and Ruby have gone cold. Now the only thing that can be done is wait, and hope that someone comes forward with some information.”  
“Yes,” she replies, bowing her head down. “I was afraid of that.”  
Graham hands her a drink in a crystal scotch glass while taking a drink from his own.  
“I’m sorry, but as of now that’s the best I can do,” he says forlornly.  
She takes a sip of the scotch on the rocks and says, “I understand. I, of course, worry about the safe return of these women but tonight it’s my son who wants answers. I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t know what to tell him to ease his mind.”  
It’s true. In all the times he’s lived the same month through with his mother, he has never inquired about the status of the investigation.  
“Well, if he were my son, I would simply tell him to have faith. They’ll turn up alive and well soon, of this I’m sure.”  
“How can you say that with such certainty?” Regina asks airily.  
“Because I have hope in the citizens of Storybrooke, that someone knows something, and will lead us safely to them.”  
To this, Regina takes a huge gulp of her stiff drink and, after clearing her throat, sits on the chair closest to the table containing the unopened pizza box. She sets the almost empty glass down, rests her still burning spliff in an ashtray, and opens it up. The smell of cheesy deliciousness immediately hits her nose which causes her to smile.  
“I’m trying to make sure Henry is eating healthy these days, so it’s rare that I have such a treat as this,” she says giddily, eyes sparkling as she picks up a piece.  
Graham chuckles, “Deep down I guess I just knew it’s exactly what you needed.”  
“You always know what I need,” she says to him with a wink.  
He replies with a smile, “And how is that, I wonder?”

~

It is almost midnight when Georgette nears the entrance to the sleaziest bar in town, known as The Rabbit Hole. The misery of having to betray one of her closest friends has been numbed by pills and alcohol and, to be honest, that’s not the only misery she’s attempting to control tonight. A bruise covered by makeup is still tenderly swollen around her right eye. Her husband, Vincent, threatened her with “more where that came from” if she fails to solicit new customers for his and Mr. Gold’s parlor. In preparation for a night of work, she had dressed in a tight, light blue velvet mini dress and a black leather jacket that she wears open. She wears her ginger hair down in an attempt to hide her welted eye behind. The skin her skimpy outfit reveals attracts the attention of nearly everyone inside as she steps through the door, and she tries her best to smile through the shame and awkwardness she feels. In contrast to the coldness outside, the damp heat inside causes her to immediately strip off the jacket as she focuses on finding a seat at the bar.  
Before she’s able to do so, she’s intercepted by an intoxicated man of hefty weight.  
He grabs her wrist, “Hey, weren’t you in here before? I’ve been waiting all night for you. My buddy said you know how to party?”  
Georgette refrains from rolling her eyes and tilts her head as she wrenches her arm free.  
“I don’t party, but I know people who do. Unwillingly. Girls and guys, whatever you like,” she reaches into her cleavage and pulls out a card with only an address written on it and hands it to him. “Go further down the rabbit hole, if you dare.”  
The man looks at the card with an expression fit for a giddy schoolboy. He hastily exits the bar, nearly pushing her over as he does so. She steadies herself and shrugs, thinking, that was easy enough, now I deserve a drink.  
Practically falling onto a bar stool, she brings her hard-to-focus eyes to the bartender.  
“Hey,” he says lowly.  
She doesn’t respond. Although she’s forced to be a part of her husband’s horrid business, this man is not. He happily takes a cut of the profits in order to let them find patrons for their parlor in his customers. She finds it despicable but has no say in the matter. He quickly makes up her drink without having to ask what she prefers and hands it to her. Greedily, she sucks the entire thing down, trying to drown her despair at helping corrupt the already broken innocence of her friends.  
For having only opened less than two weeks prior, business at the whorehouse is booming. Before long, the demand for male company was too great for Vin and Mr. Gold to not force Jefferson into submitting to participating. As would be the reaction of any sane person, the thought of what tortures Jefferson, Lacey, and Ruby were subjected to normally makes Georgette so sick to her stomach she can barely keep anything down. That’s what the pills are for, Vincent says. To calm her nerves. They do the trick to numb both the physical and mental pain she feels, and she welcomes the sweet release from the constant stress she is put under.  
“Thirsty?” the bartender says with a lecherous smile.  
“Shut the fuck up and get me another, asshole,” she all but slurs.  
He gives an amused snort through his nose and pours for her another drink.  
Before the end of her night, Georgette sends four more men to the den hidden near the edge of town that is not too far from The Rabbit Hole bar. The guilt she feels is washed away by the ever pouring of strong alcohol down her throat, and she is only able to leave when Vincent comes to collect her at bar close.  
“Good job tonight, my little bunny,” he praises as he walks her to his car. “Best beware of the Great Georgette when she’s on the hunt, isn't that right, bun?”  
As a response, she can no longer hold her nerve and upchucks the beverages of her night onto the crumbling sidewalk.  
Vincent laughs cruelly, “That’s my girl.”


	11. True Colors

Enchanted Forest: Two Weeks Before the Dark Curse

“King George,” Regina addresses as she curtsies lowly before him in his throne room. “Thank you for entertaining my request to meet with you today.”  
The bald and bearded king sits slouched in his throne, legs spread out lazily with his head resting on his hand.  
“What is it that you want, Evil Witch?” he spits.  
She tsks, resists the want to roll her eyes, and says, “Look, I understand that we’ve had a falling out recently. Again, I apologize for going after David without informing you ahead of time. It was a foolish mistake that I deeply regret. But, the worst we did was imprison him months ago-”  
“Yes, from which he escaped,” George chides, sliding forward on his throne to bring his hands together as he rests his elbows on his knees. “Tell me, how does one as moronic as he pull a fast one over your oh-so-powerful magical eyes?”  
Rage bubbles inside of Regina at the insult and she gives a short sigh in order to contain her anger.  
“He received help from someone as powerful as I am. I regret to admit that even with the help of my enchanted mirror, I was unable to see it coming. Since then much has transpired, as you well know. After your failed attempt to sterilize Snow White, they wasted no time in conceiving. The child’s birth is but a month away. With the promise of an heir, my kingdom has fallen into the hands of their beloved Princess Snow, and now I only have the soldiers I pay to protect me. Snow and David’s army are coming for us both. They have all but seized my castle, Your Grace. We’d have more of a chance at victory if we stand together.”  
To this, George lets out a cruel chuckle.  
“You think we would stand a chance together?” he says with bitter sarcasm. “In case you haven’t noticed, the soldiers in my army have nearly all either starved to death or abandoned their post to join up with Snow and her precious Prince Charming. I’m heading out today to track him down. Your attempt to mend our allyship is rejected. Now, begone.”  
The Evil Queen stares at him coldly.  
“You will pay for your dismissal of me, you pig,” she sneers before vanishing in a cloud of deep purple smoke.

~ 

Queen Anne watches from her shared bedchamber window as her husband, King George, leads on horseback a small group of their existing soldiers leaving on their search for his missing son, Prince David. The circumstances of David entering into their lives were of strange origin, as for most of his life, David was nothing but a humble Shepard, blissfully unaware of his royal heritage. He worked hard in order for his mother and himself to keep their farm, until the day his brother, Prince James, was murdered. It was then that King George, upon learning of his son James’ twin brother that had been stolen and hidden away by Rumplestiltskin at birth, ordered him to assume the position of Prince in James’ stead. The reason for this is because James had been engaged to the Princess of a nearby land, and her name is Abigail. She, being the daughter of the famed King Midas with his ever-flowing riches of gold, promised to dig King George’s failing kingdom out of debt and back into the glory it once held.  
But David did not wish to marry Abigail, for on his journey with Abigail to their Engagement Party, he fell victim to a thief. And not just any thief- This woman turned out to be none other than the bandit Snow White, on the run from her step-mother, the Evil Queen Regina. For a moment they were adversaries, as she had stolen from him his precious mother’s wedding ring. Nonetheless, they soon fell for each other, and their True Love produced the strongest magic in the realm, which threatened Queen Regina and King George, respectively. With having been thwarted in his plan to rip Snow White away from David, King George is now on his way to find him, not out of love, but out of hatred. The fate of his kingdom rested on the marriage alliance with King Midas’ kingdom, and his contempt for his new and disobedient son rages inside of him, blinding him from all other emotions and objectives.  
His Queen frowns as he and his battalion disappear from sight. She stares blankly at the empty road as an uneasiness twists her throat with an anxiety she has become quite used to as of late. Uncaring that the servants will hear her discontent, she lets out a loud and tired sigh as she finally turns from the window to bring her eyes to the looming portraits hanging on the tall walls of her and her husband’s bedchamber. In total, they tally up to seven. The first she looks at is her own, the vibrancy of her red hair dimmed by the painter’s artistic license and the gloomy atmosphere in the room. She then studies each of the five portraits hanging between her and her husband’s. These are of the five wives he’s had before her. Each woman was painted by the same painter as she, and each were beautiful in their own way. She considers them with sadness, for she knows they all had perished due to illness, or during childbirth.  
Finally, her eyes fall on the portrait of that of her husband. She squints in order to analyze his fine features depicted in the painting created when he was of a much younger age. While his bald head makes a statement, it’s his beard that is the shade of blue which truly stands out. It’s depicted as much more defined than when seeing him face-to-face, but it adds to the imposing effect of the likeness of her husband of four years. Conflicting emotions race through her as she remembers the man who had swept her off her feet not so long ago; the man who now is consumed with destroying his own flesh and blood. A sadness washes through her that is so profound, she finds herself needing a distraction, any distraction. So, she grabs the heavy ring of keys from George’s bedside and takes to the corridors of the castle.  
She starts high, at the highest point of the highest tower, adventuring into rooms she’s never seen. Not that she wasn’t allowed, it’s just that the property is so expansive that she never felt the need to explore it all. Although for the few years she’s spent living in the palace, there has only ever been one rule: Not to enter the dungeon. Eventually, her unceasing need to interrupt the growing distaste she is beginning to hold for George brings her low, to the lowest point of the property. The formidable image of her husband comes to mind as she recalls the numerous occasions in which he told her never to set foot in the prison under the castle.  
But, he is away, she reasons with herself, jingling the massive key ring nervously. Surely he would never discover I’d go against his wishes? she thinks.  
After looking around her to ensure there are no guards to watch and inevitably snitch on her, she eyes the keyhole and discovers it to be the largest of the entire estate. She’s easily able to locate the massive matching key, unlike the many attempts she took on countless other doors in the castle, some even being abandoned for she had never found a match to unlock them. Upon stepping closer, a faint yet foul odor hits her nose and for a moment she hesitates. But, being a woman of conviction, she has already made up her mind to enter the dungeon. She slides the key into the lock and slowly turns. Unlocking it echoes loudly on the stone walls around her, making her wince, but she straightens up as the heavy door opens along with the intake of breath.  
In all her years of life and dealings with tragedy, nothing would have prepared her for the sight and stench inside. She finds the floor is covered in mucky blood that has turned to black from the passage of time. Horror paralyzes her as she takes in the wretched sight of five decomposing women’s corpses hanging from meat hooks attached to the ceiling. Most of their features have been worn away from decay, but she can visualize them clearly enough. Each one is that of the portraits she views day in and day out since her marriage to the King. Each one was his wife.  
A scream catches in her throat as she realizes the extreme danger she’s been in since she fell in love with the King. She knows there’s no other option than to leave. Without hesitating a moment more, her shaky arms pull closed the door which is promptly locked. She turns her back on it and runs to replace the keys where she found them. From there, she packs a light travel bag, and takes off on her horse in hopes of finding Snow White and Prince David before it’s too late.

~

Jefferson stands to attention as his Queen materializes before him in a cloud of smoke.  
“How did it go, Your Majesty?”  
“About as well as I thought it would,” she says with a shrug and gives him an amused smile.  
“Ah, I see. But you’re not disheartened. Why?” he asks timidly.  
“All of my enemies will soon pay the price for having wronged me,” she says in a confident tone.  
“I don’t doubt you,” he lets his tone dangle downward in an attempt to coax the plan out of her without full-out asking.  
She looks at him deviously as she walks from where he was waiting in the War Room toward the balcony. He follows and takes in the view of the kingdom under a clear, moonlit sky.  
“Any day now we will be run out of here,” Regina says as she follows his gaze out into the expanse of what used to be hers. “But my work on a solution to our dire situation is nearly complete. I’m sure you’ve been wondering what’s been keeping me so busy these last few months.”  
“I have, indeed, Your Grace,” Jefferson nods, taking this opportunity to look upon her regal visage.  
“It hasn’t been easy,” she begins, “But, you see, long before he was my prisoner for David’s jailbreak, Rumplestiltskin invented a curse. And he’d gifted it to me after I had completed my studies in magic with him many years ago. He told me it was for a rainy day, but that I had to design it myself. So, all this time our forces have been dwindling, I always knew we would come out the other side triumphant. For this curse isn’t just any run-of-the-mill curse, pun intended. It is a Dark Curse that will sweep us all from this land to another, where we will be the victors, and our enemies the sad and pitiful losers.”  
“Pardon my ignorance, Regina, but how is leaving our home a victory?” he asks, beginning to feel lightheaded.  
She responds with a despondent sigh, and eventually says, “To me, this curse is my new home. I’ve been pouring every ounce of my time into creating the town in which we’re headed. And it’s somewhere new. A land without magic, can you believe it?”  
Jefferson’s expression jumps with surprise, “Forgive my transparency but no, honestly, it’s hard for me to imagine you making a sacrifice like that.”  
“But this is where it gets interesting, my dear friend. Because you, Grace and myself have a very special place waiting for us there. I designed it as such for keeping your promise to me. Don’t worry, Jefferson. You two will be together and very well taken care of,” Regina smiles at him.  
Resigned to knowing it would be impossible to attempt to bargain with her regarding his fate, he returns it with a timid smile of his own.  
“My Queen, I don’t know what to say. Thank you,” he bows.  
“Anything for you, dear. There’s still a bit of work to be done, so I’m on my way to my laboratory now. See to it that you have a nice breakfast with Grace in the morning, will you?”  
“As you wish, Your Majesty,” he says with an affirmative nod.  
“Spectacular,” she says, eyes sparkling as she turns from him to continue her important work.  
She disappears from sight and Jefferson lets out a shaky breath.  
This is my only chance to save Huntsman, Grace, and myself. There must be a way to escape Regina’s curse, he thinks to himself.  
Spotting the North Star in the sky, he closes his eyes and makes a wish. He wishes for a way out, and the Blue Fairy appears on the rail of the balcony. She walks on it as though it’s a balance beam until Jefferson notices her presence.  
“Oh, wow,” he breathes with a relieved smile, “That was fast.”  
“In these troubled times, I’ve been granting more wishes than ever so I’ve had to  
maintain fast as possible response times,” she sighs. “You want to escape the Evil Queen’s Dark Curse.”  
“Is it possible?”  
“Yes, there is a way. But you will be banished from this realm to another forever. Unlike falling victim to Regina’s curse, however, you will be able to choose which realm you fall into while also maintaining your free will,” she explains.  
“How is it done?” Jefferson asks, face firm as stone.  
“You must make a deal with the mermaid, Ariel. Luckily for you, she is kind in nature and fascinated by all things on land. Bring her something that will last underwater and she’ll open a portal for you. She can be found by standing at the ocean shore, and blowing air into a magical conch. Here-”  
The Blue Fairy flies forward to hold Jefferson’s hand palm-up. With a wave of her wand, the magical conch materializes in his hand.  
“I can let you hold onto it for only a few hours, so whatever you must do, do it quickly. My magic will collect it from you when your time is up. Good luck,” she says to him with a wink, and vanishes as quick as a blink.  
“Thank you,” he says to no one, feeling a sense of hope he hasn’t since before the Evil Queen recruited him for help.  
He slips the conch into his inside jacket pocket, and turns on his heels in order to locate his daughter. He finds her on the floor of the library, reading a picture book of the history of the palace.  
“Grace, why aren’t you in bed?” he asks.  
“I couldn’t sleep, Papa,” she says and looks up at him, “Why aren’t you in bed?”  
Jefferson chuckles lightly and crouches down to whisper, “Because I’m working on something that I need your help with. Can I trust you with a secret task?”  
Grace closes the book and tilts her head to look at her father.  
“Yes,” she nods.  
“Go to your room and retrieve the hairpin the Queen gifted to you for your birthday. Would you be okay with having to give it to someone who will help us with our secret task?”  
“Mmm,” she ponders, “I suppose so, Papa.”  
“That’s my good girl,” he smiles at her. “Take this, too,” he passes to her the magical conch, “And meet me in the Queen’s quarters in a half an hour, not a minute sooner. Can I trust you with this, my love?”  
She stares at him for a long time, and gives him a resolute nod.  
“Thank you, angel,” he leans forward and kisses her forehead. “Now, keep your eye on that clock, and I’ll see you soon.”  
“Okay, Papa,” she smiles at him.  
He returns it with a meek one of his own. He straightens up, heading out of the library towards the room where his beloved is confined to when he’s not forcibly doing the bidding of the Evil Queen. Jefferson nearly runs through the hallways in order to reach the Huntsman's room as quickly as he can.  
“Huntsman!” he hisses, dropping to his knee to shake the Huntsman awake in his bed. “Wake up!”  
“What?” Huntsman startles awake.  
He rubs his eyes and looks at Jefferson quizzically.  
“What is it, what are you doing here?” he asks hoarsely.  
“Regina told me of her evil plan to send us all to a world of her creation via Dark Curse. But I’ve found a way to escape it. Come with me, we can steal your heart and never look back.”  
“Are you mad? Jefferson, no, this is foolhardy. Even the secret meetings like this that we’ve been stealing have been too risky. I won’t let you put Grace or yourself in such danger. Hell, the Queen could be listening to us right now.”  
“She’s too busy working on this curse she intends to cast on all of us. Please, Huntsman... I’ve already lost you once. I can’t, again. These stolen moments with you have been some of the best of my life. Let me steal your heart, and we can escape this madness. Together.”  
Huntsman searches the eyes of his lover, and finds a determination inside of them that infects him, as well. He leans forward and kisses Jefferson, pure and true.  
“You would risk it all to try and rescue me? To save my heart and steal us all away?” he says breathlessly after pulling away from the kiss.  
“Anything so that we can be together and escape this life Regina has laid out for us. Please, my love, please. Come with us. Grace and I already have a plan, to pass through a portal made by the mermaid, Ariel,” Jefferson explains.  
“Ariel? I know her. She’s the reason why I was able to get to the Land of Untold Stories. The reason why we met,” Huntsman ponders, taking Jefferson’s hand.  
“See? Then this is fate- That we mustn’t fight,” Jefferson urges, squeezing his hand.  
“You know, I am rather sick of being heartless. Let’s go.”  
Huntsman swings his legs over the bedside and pulls his shoes on. Jefferson springs to his feet to peek behind the Huntsman’s closed bedroom door.  
“We’re clear,” he whispers to Huntsman who has joined up behind him.  
They creep out of the room together, and make their way through the massive castle toward the Queen’s quarters. Confident of his knowledge of the guards’ patrol routes, Jefferson navigates them flawlessly to reach their destination undetected.  
“Papa!” Grace says, running up to him. “I brought what you asked me to!”  
“Thank you, my little princess. Now wait here while I retrieve the one last thing we need before we can continue on our secret task.”  
Jefferson gives the Huntsman a hopeful glance before approaching the Queen’s vanity. He does so quietly, eyeing the black box containing the heart of his beloved. His own heart races with the possibility of the Huntsman finally having his heart returned. Jefferson has been aching for him since he discovered the Evil Queen was holding his heart captive. Now they all were so close at having their chance at freedom together.  
His slightly shaking hands open the box, and he gently takes the glowing heart from within. He turns to give Huntsman a victorious smile, but instead it falls and he is filled with horror upon seeing the Evil Queen observing them from the doorway.  
“Jefferson, what-?” Regina squeaks.  
Her body begins to shake as she takes in the sight of the fearful group huddling together in front of her.  
“What the hell are you doing?” she’s finally able to say.  
No words formulate in his mind, the only move he’s able to make is pushing Grace behind him. He can feel Huntsman’s eyes are glued to him and his hands holding the bright red heart begin to sweat. He watches as Regina’s eyes move from the empty box on her vanity to the heart in his hands.  
“You-” she chokes out, staving off hysterics with all her might, “You’ve chosen my slave over me, and the guaranteed safety of your daughter? Why? After I promised you’d both be taken care of, and all I’ve done for you… Why? Why have you forsaken me?”  
“Because-” Jefferson tries to swallow, but fear parches his mouth as dry as chalk. “I love him, Your Grace. I always have.”  
“Love?!” the Evil Queen screeches in wretched disbelief, making Jefferson flinch. “You love him, the Huntsman who has betrayed me time and time again?! Well, love is weakness, you fool, I thought you would have learned that by now. You leave me no choice. You will all regret having committed your crimes against me, on this or any other day!” she says as threateningly as her breaking voice allows.  
Regina glares at them as tears stream down her face. She walks slowly forward and takes the Huntsman's heart from Jefferson’s trembling hands.  
“Guards!” she bellows, trying to contain her sobs, “Take these traitors to the dungeon.”  
Her Black Guards descend on the Huntsman, Jefferson, and Grace to apprehend them all with firm grips.  
“Don’t send Grace to the dungeons, please,” Jefferson pleads, “She only did what I asked her to.”  
“Consider this a lesson well-learned for her, then. Love is weakness, and it will leave you burned, scorned, and desolate,” Regina fumes.  
“I won’t apologize for trying to rescue my family, Your Majesty. You’re wrong to do this,” Jefferson says to her as they’re being hauled away.  
“Your opinion means jack shit to me, you vile, treacherous whore! Get out of my sight!!!” the Evil Queen screams.  
The prisoners are forced out of the room as Regina weeps for her lost companionship. Her already broken heart physically pains her as the tears of betrayal show no sign of ceasing. She scowls and growls at the daunting task of having to modify her Dark Curse so significantly to properly punish her perpetrators. A burning rage reaches her throat and she lets out a screaming cry that echoes throughout the entire castle. With no time to lose, she transmutates herself to her laboratory to begin her additional work on the Dark Curse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes finally it is revealed that King George (aka Vincent in Storybrooke) is depicted as the evil villain Bluebeard in this retelling of OUAT.  
> And that Georgette in Storybooke was King George's wife, Queen Anne, in the Enchanted Forest, this is hinted at with the description of her hair.  
> Sorry for the long wait on this update, hope you love this chapter!!!!


	12. Simon Says

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter explores dark themes and is most likely the darkest chapter of this fic

Storybrooke: Dark Curse Day 10,217 

Just after the break of day, Vincent had tried to shake his wife awake, but to no avail. She slumbered on as he placed two pills next to her on the bedside table, along with a glass of water and a note that reads “take me”. Hours later, she rolls over and peeps her eyes open ever so slightly to avoid the brightness of the sun in her room. They fall on the pills and a sinking feeling hits her gut. A terrible hangover pierces her head and instincts bring her to pick them up, but she lets them just linger in her hand. Most often her husband is around to ensure that she swallows the pills he gives her, but with him gone she second guesses her duty to take them. With her throat parched, she slams the glass of water and moves to the bathroom where she drops the pills into the toilet. She flushes them down and a triumphant smirk appears on her face. 

 

~

Georgette had taken extra care of her look this particular morning. She didn’t overdo her face makeup but for the ‘80’s even a more dramatic look can be seen as subtle. Before leaving for her chores at the club, she’d pulled on a black leather mini skirt over fishnet stockings, and her black velvet spaghetti strap top was covered by a light blue jacket. Big black boots clunk on the sidewalk with every step she takes and aside from her subsiding hangover, Georgette is feeling more awake and present than she can remember having felt in weeks. Unable to determine whether this is a good or bad thing, she pulls out a cigarette and lights it as she makes her way to her skeezy destination. While her guilty conscience pushes its way to the front of her mind, she fingers her jacket pocket and extracts from it a key. Upon reaching the door to the club, she grinds out her cigarette on the wall and unlocks it to enter.   
Inside it is so dark that she has to wait a minute for her eyes to adjust. The look of the joint is pleasant enough but she has a hard time ignoring the fact that her friends are trapped inside.  
She makes the rounds, pounding on each of their doors.  
“Rise and shine, everyone, it’s bath time,” she says.   
“Fuck off, Georgette,” she hears Jefferson mumble from behind one of the doors.  
“Get the fuck up, man, or I’ll call my husband. Don’t make this harder than it has to be, please. I don’t wanna have to call him, especially while he’s at work, but I will.”  
“Georgette, hey,” Lacey says as she comes out of her room. “Can we get some more food in the fridge? Ruby’s been eating her feelings since she got here.”  
Georgette considers her with relief, “Glad to see at least someone here is settling in okay. And yes, I’ll have a talk with Ruby. Ruby?” she knocks again at her door. “I’m coming in.”  
She turns the door handle and is immediately bulldozed by the woman on the other side. Ruby shoves her down and makes a break for the door.  
“Jefferson! Get her, you moron!” Georgette yells as Lacey rushes to help her up. “We’re all gonna pay for this, Ruby, do you hear me?!”  
Jefferson does nothing to help and exits his room well after Ruby was able to escape.  
“What I miss?” he asks cheekily.   
“You selfish prick,” Georgette seethes and slaps him in the face. “Do you know what my husband will do to us when he finds out she’s escaped?! We’ll be lucky if we live through the day,” she says as she begins to sob.  
“It’s okay, Georgette, it isn’t your fault,” Lacey comforts. “I should have said something sooner…”  
“What? What is it?” she asks, tears ceasing.  
“Well…” Lacey says with a nervous expression, “I noticed Ruby wasn’t taking the medicine Vinnie has been giving us. She’s been pretending to take it and throws them away once he leaves.”  
That sinking feeling Georgette had felt earlier when she awoke creeps through her again. The dreadful realization hits her that Vincent has been using pills to control all of them, including herself. That’s why Lacey is so compliant in this house, Georgette thinks with a full-body shiver. She thanks her instincts for tossing the pills away this morning and shakes her head, trying her best to swallow her disgust at Vincent’s despicable actions.   
“Thank you for letting me know, Lacey, and don’t worry. I won’t let my husband know it was you who told me that.”  
Lacey nods, but still looks sullen.  
“Jefferson,” Georgette turns to him, and her heart feels as though it is breaking. “I’m so sorry for hitting you, I don’t know what came over me. Please forgive me.”  
“It’s fine, it’s definitely not the worst thing I’ve encountered under this roof,” he says lightheartedly.  
Georgette makes a dissatisfied face at both his response and at the prospect of having to tell Vincent that Ruby has escaped. She doesn’t believe she’ll survive the encounter, so she hugs both Jefferson and Lacey tightly before ordering them both to bathe.  
“Oh, and whatever you do, don’t take Vin’s medicine anymore… I know with certainty that it isn't medicine,” she advises and turns her back to them.   
Jefferson gives her a quizzical look, but she doesn’t notice. Instead, she takes a deep breath before stepping back into the sun and locks the door behind her. 

~

Vincent practically shakes the walls of the club when he enters it in a rage.   
“Jefferson!” he bellows.   
“What is it, Vin? Sad someone was able to sneak outta this hellhole?” he says, sarcastically pouting for his reply.  
“You’ll shut the fuck up if you know what’s good for you, faggot,” Vinnie growls.  
“Testy, testy,” Jefferson mumbles.   
“You’re going out to find her and bring her back, you hear me? You should never have let this happen.”  
“Me?!” Jefferson scoffs brazenly, and points his hand at his chest. “What about YOU, aren’t you supposed to be the braun of this enterprise?”  
“If I’m the braun that makes you the bitch,” Vinnie snaps back, “And the bitch has to follow orders.”  
“Do I, though? Because I’m starting to think I don’t have to. It wasn’t difficult to figure out you’ve been drugging us to control our minds, you know.”  
“Be that as it may, fairy boy, we still have your daughter, and some of my customers have been complaining about the lack of age diversity here at the club. You don’t want your daughter to join our small company here, do you? Your parents would happily give her up if they thought she’d found a normal family to live with.”  
Jefferson’s face darkens as the gravity of this threat processes through his foggy mind.   
“I didn’t think so,” Vinnie says smugly. “Now, that bitch has undoubtedly gone to the Sheriff’s station. Retrieve her, and bring her back, unharmed or otherwise. Kill anyone that gets in your way.”  
“You mean… Kill the Sheriff?!” Jefferson says, aghast.  
“Well, there sure as hell ain’t no Deputy to kill!” Vinnie laughs.  
“I…” he starts, but trails off, imagining the act of taking someone’s life, “I don’t think I can do that.”  
“You better be able to if it comes to that, or else you’ll be getting a new, young roommate. And you can bet that Grace won’t have the same luxury the three of you had of being drugged into submission. She will be thoroughly forced into it, and you’ll be made to listen through these thin walls as her innocence is taken. Unless you’d prefer to watch so that she knows it was you who put her here.”  
A terror grips Jefferson’s throat so petrifying that he isn’t able to speak. He stares blankly ahead of him as Vinnie gives a short and cruel chuckle.  
“I think I’ve made myself as clear as possible. I want Ruby back by sundown, do you understand me?”  
Tears swell in Jefferson’s eyes as he steps away from Vinnie, nodding mechanically. It’s then that he notices the bloodstains on Vinnie’s hands.  
“Georgette…” Jefferson whispers. “What did you do to her?”  
“Don’t worry about her,” Vinnie spits. “Take this,” he says and hands him a small handgun. “Now, off you go.”  
A tearful Jefferson grips lightly the weapon as he wonders how in the hell his life has come to this. Kill a man to save my daughter from the whore house? How did this happen, he asks himself. As Vincent is still ogling him, Jefferson decides he’d better get a move on, and makes moves to exit the club. He does so and begins to make his way through the side streets of Storybrooke with his heart beating wildly. Horror rushes through his veins causing him to shake and sob, the cold air doing nothing to help his weak frame.   
Okay, Jefferson, get your shit together, he thinks to himself. You’re not really evil if you’re being forced to comply, right? Vinnie and Gold are the two who are truly guilty. They trapped us inside that godforsaken club to use our bodies for profit. And now I have to drag Ruby back there? Goddammit, no. No, I can’t do this.   
But then the smiling image of his daughter comes to mind and he becomes filled with dread for her well-being. He can’t endanger his daughter in such a way. For the first time it hits him that he is stuck with no way out. He must comply with what Vincent says.   
After the long walk from the club, Jefferson lets out a long breath of air as he reaches his car. He stands before the door and attempts to devise a plan for how he’ll coax Ruby out of the station.   
Worst comes to worst, I’ll just drug her again, he thinks with a heavy heart. But, then- What about the Sheriff?  
Rolling his eyes to stave off more tears, he enters his car to head toward the station. During the drive he fights to keep his mind blank in order to be able to reach his destination. Too quickly, the Sheriff’s station comes into view. Jefferson leans over to his glove compartment and stuffs a rag and chloroform inside his jacket pocket.  
“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fuck!” he huffs.  
Without taking any more time to think, Jefferson exits his vehicle and walks toward the station. He enters it, and to his relief sees only Ruby sitting in front of the Sheriff’s desk.  
She gasps and stands, backing away from him.  
“What are you doing here? Get the hell away from me,” Ruby demands shakily.  
“I’m sorry, Ruby- They have Grace, they have my daughter, please. Please, I need you to come with me. They’re threatening for her to take your place if you don’t.”  
“What?! That’s insane! Jefferson, just stay here with me and tell the Sheriff. He’ll be able  
to arrest and prosecute Vinnie and Mr. Gold for human trafficking.”  
“I can’t,” Jefferson chokes out as hysterics return, “I can’t risk that, please. Just come with me.”  
“No! Fuck you, get away from me! Sheriff Graham will be back any minute, now, and I’ll tell him it was you who kidnapped me!” Ruby threatens.  
“Very well,” Jefferson nods, knowing what he has to do.  
He rushes her, and wraps her into a choke hold.   
“Don’t struggle, don’t struggle. I don’t want to hurt you!” he pleads.  
“Help! Please, someone!” she’s able to get out before the chloroform knocks her out.  
“Ruby!” Jefferson hears the Sheriff call.  
Graham takes in the sight before him and places his hand on his gun.  
“Jefferson- Let her go.”  
“I can’t! You don’t understand,” he cries desperately, hiding behind Ruby’s limp body. “Just let us go. You have to trust me, please. I can’t leave her here!”  
Jefferson slowly starts to circle around the Sheriff, inching toward the door.  
“You’re right, I don’t understand. Help me to understand. Please, Jefferson. She’s innocent, and was helping to lead me to her perpetrators,” Graham attempts to reason with him.  
“There’s nothing you can do! They’re too powerful, they’re above the law. You can’t stop them. And if you’re going to try and stop me, you leave me no choice!”   
Jefferson raises the gun and before thinking, shoots Graham in the heart. Surprise ripples through the Sheriff’s face as he grips his wound. But in an instant, he is dead, and Jefferson drags Ruby’s unconscious body out of the station.

~

America: Phoenix, Arizona, October, 2001

Eighteen year old Emma Swan screams as she pushes with all of her strength. The electricity in the room flickers as her baby plops into the arms of the prison doctor.   
“Good job, mom! He’s a healthy baby boy,” the doctor says as he hands him to the nurse.  
The woman sobs, her heart breaking at the knowledge of her long prison sentence. Her lover had abandoned her and framed her for the theft of the watches he’d stolen for their supposed new life together. She curses herself for being so idiotically conned by Neal Cassidy, and is conflicted with the tender feelings for her new baby.  
No, she thinks to herself. He’s not my baby.   
This is what she has to tell herself in order to refuse the nurse’s insistence that she hold him.   
“No,” she says weakly. “I cannot be a mother.”  
“You’re putting him up for adoption? Just like that?” the nurse asks, shocked.  
Emma can only nod as tears stream down her reddened face. She turns her head so as not to even see the boy. She cries loudly as her screaming newborn is taken out of the room.  
“I’m sorry,” she whispers between sobs, “I’m so sorry.”


End file.
